St. Martin of Tours and "Dying Well"

Memento Mori! (Remember Death) is the reminder to all Christians that we will all die.  The question becomes, will we be ready?  Most don’t even want to think about this until it is too late.  Why do I say this?  Because preparing for death is a lifetime pursuit.  Morbid? Only to those who are already lost.  Happily, if you are still alive, it isn’t too late to get busy and make up for lost time!

I was intending to discuss St. Robert Bellarmine’s publication on “The Art of Dying Well”.  Unfortunately, as I dug into this book, I soon came to realize it was bigger than the papal exhortation we just spent the last year studying.  So, I will discuss instead the death of St. Martin of Tours, whose feast we celebrated this past Wednesday.  I still highly recommend a reading of St. Robert’s tome.  There's good stuff there!  That may be why he is one of the "Doctors of the Church", No?

St. Martin of Tours (316-397AD) was a Roman soldier (so a most fitting saint to be celebrated on “Veteran’s Day”).  He is most famous for the episode recorded by the historian Sulpicius, while still in military service, whereby he came across a poor man shivering in the cold, and so he cut his military cloak in half and gave it to the man so that he might be warmed.  That night, Martin dreamed of Jesus wearing the half-cloak he had given away. He heard Jesus say to the angels: "Martin, who is still but a catechumen, clothed me with this robe."

On coming to the faith, and in response to the ascension of Julian the Apostate to the imperial throne, Martin abandoned the life of soldiering for service to the "True King" and the pursuit of eternal life.  After Baptism he became a disciple of St. Hilary of Poitier and retreating to the solitude of the hermitage, St. Martin found the intimacy with God he desired.  This intimacy, however, was a beacon to all around and soon he was prevailed upon to become the bishop of Tours (France).  He served faithfully to a very old age.

As he became aware that his life was coming to an end a report came that the clergy of a parish were quarreling.  Off he went to reconcile them, thinking of his clergy and people before

his own needs and desire.  St. Martin arrived, staying in the parish church night and day in the presence of our Eucharistic Lord.  Having reconciled the clergy and ready to head home his strength drained away and he announced he was dying.  The clergy and people begged him not to leave them to the wolves of this world; so he called out to God saying: “Lord, if your people still need me, I am ready for the task; your will be done.”  But God’s will was that he should come home without further delay.  Indeed, he refused to be turned in his bed because he wanted to be able to face his destination – so, up he went. 

We see by the life of St. Martin that a good and holy death was prepared for by a good and holy life.  His pursuit of intimacy with God led to a call to an active, apostolic life, but the foundation had been laid, and he was able to undertake the office of bishop without losing that intimacy.  Thus, in 397 AD, at the end of a long life (he was reputed to be 80-81 years old), he was ready for eternal communion with God, Who was quite ready for him as we see in the account of his death.May we be so ready for such a death, or rather, such a passover into eternal life.  The crypt shown at the beginning of this posting is that of St. Martin.  St. Martin of Tours – Pray for us!