November 11th is the Feast of St. Martin of Tours. Below, Father Steve offers a reflection on the legendary encounter that converted Martin from a celebrated soldier to a priest, bishop, and a saint.
Today the Church celebrates the holiness and witness of Saint Martin of Tours.
Martin was born in the year 316 AD and was a convert to the Faith of the Church. The story of his conversion is one of the great tales of the Faith.
Martin, a dashing young soldier, was confronted by a poor beggar who pleaded for Martin's assistance. Martin's heart was moved with compassion for the frail, sickly man, shivering in the cold and clothed only in tattered rags. He removed his magnificent military cloak from his broad shoulders, drew his sword and divided the garment in two, placing half of his cloak around the impoverished beggar...