A Homily for Nov. 11th

Here's another sketch of my Homily, this time for Remembrance  Day.  The readings were...
 

Wisdom 13:1-9
Psalm 19:2-5
Luke 17:26-37

--Today the gospel confronts us with Jesus' clear understanding of the division and suffering that are present in the world: how we eat and drink while sin cuts off our relationships with our neighbours

--As the book of Wisdom points out, humanity has great powers of perception yet ignores the deepest truth. Today we have access to detailed information (news stories, statistics, and our own awareness) which tells us of the extent of the suffering in our world... yet because this information comes in such a flood, we defend ourselves against it: unmoved, numb

--Today is Remeberence day; an opportunity to feel more profoundly...

here we have a fine example in the empathetic heart of St. Martin of Tours

--When Armistice day fell on the feast of St. Martin de Tours; the people of France felt the ancient soldier-saint was interceding for them

--during his life, Martin let himself be troubled by the suffering of others

--while riding to Gaul, Martin saw a ragged beggar along the road, he cut his own cloak in two and gave the beggar half

--that night Martin dreamed that Christ was in heaven, wearing the cloak, and saying “look, my friend Martin has clothed me”

--and when Martin awoke, he found the cloak he had cut – whole again

--Martin saw the division in the world and took that division onto himself, sharing it with the one who was suffering and allowing himself and his identity to be cut

--and by this obedience to God, what was cut in two was made whole again

--This is Christ's response, when he sees the vultures gathering. He lets himself be troubled by the immanent danger to every human person

--Finally, in obedience to the Father, He takes the division and suffering of humanity onto Himself; allowing Himself to be pierced by it in His Passion

--and Christ was made whole, healing the wounds of sin by His Resurrection

--Following St. Martin who followed Christ, let us lower our defenses, allow ourselves to be troubled by the suffering we see right before our eyes

--let us pray for the grace that when we find brokeness we may take it into our own hearts, letting our selves be cut by it

--with faith that by the power of Christ we will be made whole again