Today in the States we celebrate all those who have served in the military.
Today in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Croatia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, UK, and others, they celebrate the Martinmas (St. Martin's day), the feast day of St. Martin of Tours.
St. Martin of Tours is a Roman soldier. He converted, became a monk, and finally became a bishop of Tours in France. Here is a youtube video on him:
What does all this mean to me?
For myself, St. Martin of Tours is my confirmation saint. Whereas my baptismal name, Adrian, which is a very obscure saint, when I was on the confirmation class, I decided that I wanted someone who is more "famous". My first category for me was that the saint has to be a convert. St. Martin of Tours caught my heart, because his story is pretty awesome. Being visited by Jesus after giving half of his cloak on a winter day to a beggar... The imagery caught me.
That is what I would like to be when I was at the age of confirmation. I would like to be the person who looks through the least of us and still love them the same as I would love the highest among us all.
That is what I would like to be, to give up things, for the greater glory of God (Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam). To be reminded that, things don't satisfy me. It is God that will satisfy my desire (Psalm 145:16).
Fast forward to 2009. Here I am, still far from what I want to be.
Loving the least of the least? Even loving the closest to me, my family, is not an easy task.
To give up things for the greater glory of God? I have learned that when one has the resources to buy "things" (in my case: gadgets), to resist the temptation to buy them is even harder. I have learned that, the giving part (monetarily) is not any easier when I was still in college and have no stable income. In fact, it has gotten harder. To tithe (10% from my gross income) is hard, especially when I know that the money can be used elsewhere.
The bottom line is: understanding theology from point A to point Z, does not mean that it'll make things easier to actually live it.
Yet, in understanding the theology, makes me all the more realize that without Him, I can do nothing (John 15:5). That both our nature is being transformed into Christlike, every single time Grace is poured into our life, via sacraments and via all the tilling that we do on this earth (Gen. 3:23). That all the things that we do, if it makes us grow in knowing, loving, and serving God (Baltimore Catechism), is indeed a redemptive action in the eyes of God.
There you have it, my first post after a long hiatus in this world of blogging. I hope I can blog more regularly (once a week is my hope), now that I, who succumb to long period of self-pity, have (slowly but surely) back to my "normal" self again.
On a side note:
St. Martin also holds a special meaning to my brothers family, for it is the middle name for one of my youngest nephew. For he was born today, under the patronage of St. Martin of Tours, one year ago.
St. Martin... ora pro nobis!
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