April 13, St. Martin

The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.-- Psalm 93:1

Mass readings: Acts 4:32-37 / John 3:7-15

The Exiled Pope

Martin I was elected pope in 649. He refused to accept the Monothelite heresy (that Christ had a divine will but not a human will), even though the Byzantine emperor Constans supported the heretics. Constans sent troops to Rome to arrest the already ailing Martin. They brought him to a prison in Constantinople where he spent months in horrible conditions. He was then condemned for ''treason'' (without being allowed to present a defense) and sent into exile in famine-stricken Crimea. In 656, weakened by his many sufferings, Martin died a martyr for the Faith.

Today's reading from the Acts of the Apostles presents a marked contrast to the story of Martin. In those earliest days of the Church, ''The community of believers was of one heart and mind.'' Sadly, this ideal is not always met.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, send Your grace that we may be one in heart and mind.