3 November 2020 - Tuesday of the 31st week in Ordinary Time - Philippians 2:5-11

      After celebrating All Saints and All Souls Day in our liturgical year, we return to our daily mass in Ordinary Time today, returning to the readings from the letter of St Paul that we have been hearing in our daily masses these last several weeks.  Today, in Philippians, we hear what is probably an ancient Church hymn quoted by Paul. Even though Jesus was God, he did not regard equality with God something to be used for his advantage or something to be exploited.  Rather, Jesus willingly emptied himself, coming to humanity as a servant, humbling himself to his death on the cross.  But Jesus was a passive victim.  Rather he, willingly and openly accepted his mission here on earth.  He did not claim honor and glory.  He came to serve others.  Death on a cross was even seen as too shameful of a death for Roman citizens.  It was a death reserved for slaves and rebels. 

       Today, as we hear this hymn about Jesus, we commemorate a saint who also humbly served the people of God and the Church: St Martin de Porres. Martin was born in Peru in 1579, less than 50 years after the defeat of the Incan empire by the Spanish conquistadors.   Martin was born of a mother of African descent and possibly some indigenous descent who was born in Panama and a father of Spanish origin. Martin’s parents never married.  Even though Martin’s birth was finally acknowledged by his father, his father abandoned the family.   Martin grew up in severe poverty and was discriminated against because of his dark skin.  After working as an apprentice as a medical assistant, Martin applied to be a Dominican lay helper.  After living and serving with the Dominican community, he later became a lay brother in the Dominican community.  His life as a Dominican was characterized by acts of humility and service: ministering to slaves who arrived from Africa, founding an orphanage, visiting the sick and the poor, nursing sick animals to health.  In the Dominican monastery, Martin worked in the kitchen, the infirmary, and the laundry room, taking care of the monks and making sure their needs were met.  Martin died in 1639.  He was canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962.  Martin is often depicted holding a broom, which he used to sweep clean the homes of the poor that he visited.  He is also depicted with a cat, a dog, a bird, and a mouse, all eating out of the same dish, showing his love of animals and the harmony he saw in God’s creation.  He is the patron saint of race relations and social justice.  Martin de Porres is certainly a relevant and timely saint in our modern world.  We unite our prayers with his prayers today.