Feast of St. Martin of Tours

St. Martin (315-395) was famous for his humility and charity. The Church celebrates his feast today. Legend has it that while he was yet a catechumen, he met a half naked beggar in a cold winter day. Overcome with compassion, Martin took his own mantle which he slashed into two and gave one to the beggar. Who do you think this beggar was? Read Matthew 25 and you will know the answer.
Titus 2 is a treasure chest.
First of all, it lists the qualities of behaviour expected of each rank of people.
Older men should be temperate, serious, sensible, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness (Titus 2:2).
Older women should be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good (to young women) (Titus 2:3).
Young women should love their husbands and children, to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands (Titus 2:4b-5a).
Younger men should control themselves (Titus 2:6).
Slaves should be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to be refractory, nor to pilfer, but to show entire and true fidelity, (Titus 2:9-10a)
Secondly, salvation is for all men, not just for a selected few (Titus 2:11). Therefore, it is difficult for me to understand how predestination is theologically arguable. As is a trademark of the theology of St. Paul, salvation comes from God's grace.
Thirdly, this grace helps train us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:12-13)
Fourthly, Jesus is our Saviour and our God (Titus 2:13).
The theology articulated in Titus is more mature. Previously, Paul seemed to be hesitant in positioning Jesus. The Damascus experience resulted in positioning Jesus as Lord, stopping short at calling Jesus God (Philippians 2). In Titus, Paul called Jesus, in no uncertain term, God. A lot of mileage had been covered before Paul was able to reach this stage. It was no easy job for a Pharisee to confess a carpenter God. The obstacle was huge.

St. Martin, I pray to you for my student Martin. He has not yet built up a good study habit and he is in S.5. His days in Shung Tak are numbered. But that is only secondary. I am concerned about his neglect of his spiritual well-being. Pray that he may return before it is too late. Amen.