While Desert Fathers/Mothers were seeking to be true to the Gospel in 4th Century Egypt a man was born who would make a great impact on the life of the church.
Martin born in Italy in 316. His parents were of status in Roman society, his father a soldier, later to become a tribune which was the highest rank.
Martin would have been aware of persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian. He would have heard heroic stories of Christian martyrs; would have known of Constantine and Edict of Milan. At some point in his young life he became a Christian.
Martin’s biographer writes:
‘When Martin was ten years old, he took himself, against the wishes of his parents to the church, and begged that he might become a catechumen. Soon afterwards, becoming in a wonderful manner devoted to God, when he was twelve, he desired to enter the life of a hermit; and would have followed up that desire with the necessary vows, had not his at yet too youthful age prevented’
(Sulpitius Severus : Historian)
Clearly enthralled by tales of Desert Fathers he wanted with all his heart to follow God, but his father had other ideas; forcibly enlisted him in Roman army at age 16. He served 25years in the army. He saw it as opportunity to grow as a soldier of Christ.
At age 20, while serving in the army an event occurred which is well known. On a bitterly cold winter’s evening at gate of city of Amiens, he saw beggar being by-passed by everyone. Martin, moved with compassion, drew his sword and cut his cloak in two and gave half to the beggar. Not the normal behaviour for a Roman soldier. That night as he slept, Martin had a dream/vision in which he saw Christ wearing half a cloak. Then he heard the voice of Christ saying:
‘Look at what Martin has clothed me with this day.’
Martin knew that in the beggar he had encountered Christ.
‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’
(Matthew 25:40)
Martin’s determination to follow Christ deepened as he continued to serve in the Roman army. At age 40, while serving under Emperor Julian, who was re-introducing pagan practices, Martin was offered a long service award and a further contract. He replied:
‘I have served you as a soldier; allow me now to become a soldier of God. let the man who will serve you receive your gift. I am a soldier of Christ.’
Emperor Julian accused Martin of cowardice to which Martin responded:
‘If you think that this is cowardice and not faith, I will stand unarmed in the forefront of battle tomorrow. I will be protected not by shield or helmet but by the name of the Lord Jesus and the sign of the cross, so I will safely penetrate the ranks of the enemy.’
Emperor Julian had Martin imprisoned and next morning the barbarian invaders sent envoys asking for peace. Martin was dishonourably discharged by the Emperor but all saw the enemies’ retreat as a result of Martin’s act of faith.
Martin alone made his way on foot to Poitiers where he offered himself to Bishop Hilary to be trained for ordination. He walked across France to see his family but was rejected by his father. He went back to Poitiers and was later ordained. He grew in faith, worship, discipline, prayer and lived in poverty.
He was invited to become Bishop of Tours in 371. Remember that the church had become largely indistinguishable from Roman culture. Bishops were prelates far removed from the people; not so with Martin. He moved out of Bishop’s palace, and built a wooden hut and, while rejected by some, many others were attracted to his way of life. A community of about 2000 grew up around him. They;
ñ Lived in caves dug out of hillside;
ñ held everything in common;
ñ ministered to the poor;
ñ had a regular routine of corporate prayer; and
ñ embarked on missions to win pagans for Christ.
Martin wore simple garb like everyone else.
See the influence of the Desert Fathers and Mothers:
ñ Counter culture
ñ Monastic discipline
ñ Identification with poor
ñ Radical obedience to Christ
‘…..his (Martin’s) teaching about living a simple life and finding a desert place in a world of increasing wealth and secularization came as a breath of fresh air. Young men and women were drawn to his dynamic preaching. Influenced by the lives of the desert fathers, inspired by the Gospel of St John and steeped in their love of the Psalms, these young Christians left Tours each in search of their own ‘desert’ place. Martin had launched the beginnings of a spiritual revolution.’
(The Celtic Heart by Pat Robson Page 51)
Martin and his community began impacting on a church which had become secularised and weak.
(Story of ‘contest’ associated with pagan shrine and huge pine tree: Walking the Edges by David Adam Pages 41, 42).
But perhaps the interaction with the beggar and the sharing of his cloak is the single most significant event.
Why?
Because, I believe, Martin saw the beggar first as a person created in God’s image. Though he, Martin, a Roman soldier, had all the trappings of power and privilege he, by God’s grace was able to recognise that which was deepest in himself, namely, the image of God, was also in the beggar, God’s divine image. And it’s that understanding, which Philip Newell calls, ‘looking for goodness’ (Listening for the Heartbeat of God, Page 13) which permeated the Celtic understanding of, and teaching on, our human nature.
Perhaps it’s best for me to quote more fully what Philip Newell writes:
‘What do we mean by the Celtic Tradition?
There are two major features of the Celtic tradition that distinguish it from what in contrast can be called the Mediterranean tradition.
Celtic spirituality is marked by the belief that what is deepest in us is the image of God. Sin has distorted and obscured that image but not erased it.
The Mediterranean tradition, on the other hand, in its doctrine of original sin has taught that what is deepest in us is our sinfulness.
This has given rise to a tendency to define ourselves in terms of the ugliness of our failings instead of the beauty of our origins.
The second major characteristic of the Celtic tradition is a belief in the essential goodness of creation. Not only is creation viewed as a blessing, it is regarded in essence as an expression of God. Thus the great Celtic teachers refer to it as ‘the book of creation’ in which we may read the mystery of God.
The Mediterranean tradition, on the other hand, has tended towards a separation of spirit and matter and thus has distanced the mystery of God from the matter of creation.’
(Celtic Benediction by Philip Newell)
We’ll look at the second of the Celtic emphases which Newell writes of later in the week, for now we look at the Celtic understanding of our being created in God’s image.
Firstly:
As we well know the starting point for our Christian theology is the Genesis 1 description of humanity as being in the image of God.
Richard Rohr
‘Our creation story says that we are created in the very “image and likeness of God” and out of generative love as you see in Genesis 1;26 and repeated elsewhere (Genesis 1;27 & 9;6) This starts out as an entirely positive and helpful foundation, which cannot be overstated. We have heard this phrase so often that we don’t get the existential shock of what “created in the image and likeness of God” is saying about us. If this is true, it says that our family of origin is divine. Our core is original blessing, not original sin. This says that our starting point is entirely positive, or as the first chapter of the Bible says,
“it is very good”.
(Things Hidden by Richard Rohr Page 27-28)
He also writes elsewhere that; ‘our DNA is divine’
Is that how you see yourself?
Referring to the Celtic teacher who used the analogy of royal cloth into which was woven a gold thread Philip Newell again writes;
‘The image of God has been woven into the fabric of our being.’
See also J.Philip Newell in his book, ‘Echo of the Soul’ where he writes about a botanist who looks at a plant and defines it in terms of its essential features and not in terms of its blight. (Page 60)
Blighted indeed we are and;
‘every inclination of his/our heart is evil from childbirth’ (Genesis 8;21)
‘All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’ (Romans 3;23)
So Jesus comes into the world announcing that the rule/reign of God is breaking into the world and inviting us to:
‘believe in his name’ (John 1:12)
‘receive him’ (John1:12)
‘be born again’ (John 3:3)
‘to be born of water and the Spirit and to enter the kingdom of God’ (John 3:5)
‘to have eternal life’ (John 6:40)
Pilgrims on the Way
