St. Martin of Tours, bishop 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Wisdom of Solomon 1: 1-7

Love justice, you who rule over the world!

Think rightly of God, seek him with simplicity of heart, for he reveals himself to those who do not challenge him and is found by those who do not distrust him. Crooked thinking distances you from God; and his Omnipotence, put to the test, confounds the foolish.

Wisdom does not enter the wicked nor remain in a body that is enslaved to sin. The Holy Spirit who instructs us shuns deceit; it keeps aloof from foolishness and is ill at ease when injustice is done.

Wisdom is a spirit, a friend to man, and will not leave the blasphemous unpunished, because God knows his innermost feelings, truly sees his thoughts and hears what he says. For God’s spirit has filled the Whole world; and he who holds together all things, knows each word that is spoken.

 

Ps  139   Guide me, Lord along the everlasting way.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 17: 1-6

Jesus said to his disciples, “Scandals will necessarily come and cause people to fail; but woe to the one who brings them about. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around his neck. Truly, this would be better for that person, than to cause one of these little ones to fall.

Listen carefully: if your brother offends you, tell him, and if he is sorry, forgive him. and if he offends you seven times in one day, but seven times he says to you, ‘I’m sorry,’ forgive him.”

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” And the Lord said, “If you have faith, even the size of a mustard seed, you may say to this tree, ‘Be uprooted, and plant yourself in the seal’ and it will obey you.

 

Gospel Reflection：

“INCREASE OUR FAITH.”

When his soldier-father was stationed in Italy, St. Martin learned about Christianity and was swiftly attracted to it and became a catechumen. At the age of 15, being a son of a veteran soldier, he was obliged to render military service.

It was at this time that a famous incident involving him happened. One winter day, as he was on his way to a town, he noticed near the gate a beggar without any protection from the cold begging alms.

Since he had nothing with him, he took his sword and divided his winter cloak into two; he used one piece to wrap around the shivering beggar. That night he saw in a dream Jesus, surrounded by angels, wearing half of his cloak and heard him said, “Martin, while even a catechumen, gave me half of his cloak.”

This paved the way for his conversion. He lived an austere life of a hermit and later was named, by popular acclamation, bishop of Tours in France. Many miracles were attributed to him and he was known for his piety, courageous preaching, and training of priests. He died on November 8 with eyes and hands raised to heaven, and was buried on this day in the year 400.