April 13: Pope Saint Martin I

Pope St. Martin I

Special Note: It's Palm Sunday! When you receive palms at Mass today, remember these are sacramentals and need to be treated respectfully. Tuck them behind the crucifixes or icons hanging in your home,  Here's the whole story at Catholic Culture - plus some links for how to weave palms or fold them into crosses.

History

Around the time Martin I was elected pope in the year 649, some people were getting really confused and decided Jesus had only a divine will. Martin knew that Jesus has both a human will and a divine will. But the emperor of Constantinople disagreed. He issued a law that said it was illegal to even talk about what kind of will Jesus had. Martin knew he had to tell the truth, so he did. The emperor had Martin kidnapped from Rome and brought to Constantinople. Martin was thrown in a disgusting, dirty prison. He was only given a little bit of food each day, and he wasn’t even allowed to wash himself. He wrote to his friends for a little corn or some oil for a lamp, but nobody helped. Still, Martin stuck to what was true and never backed down.  

Activity

When God was creating the human race, he said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” We were never meant to go through this life all by ourselves. Pope Saint Martin I had to spend the last couple years of his life miserable and friendless, with only his faith in Christ to keep him company. Today, think of somebody in your life who might be feeling really alone. Call or write that person and let them know you are praying for him or her (don’t forget to actually pray for him or her!).

Pope Saint Martin I, pray for us!

More reading for parents:

Catholic Encyclopedia

American Catholic

Catholic Online