Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 11, 2025
Jesus said to the Apostles:
“Who among you would say to your servant
who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field,
‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’?
Would he not rather say to him,
‘Prepare something for me to eat.
Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You may eat and drink when I am finished’?
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
‘We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.'”
In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds his followers, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’” At first, these words can seem harsh, but they reveal something profound about humility and duty. Jesus is teaching that true service doesn’t seek praise or reward; it flows from love, faithfulness, and a sense of purpose. To serve is not to seek recognition, but to fulfill what is right and just.
On Veterans Day, we honor those who have lived this message through their service in the armed forces. They know what it means to fulfill a mission, to obey orders, and to put the needs of others before their own. Like the servants in the gospel, they don’t serve for applause or prestige, but out of a deep sense of duty, love of country, and commitment to something greater than themselves.
Growing up, I didn’t have much exposure to those who served our country, but I married into a military family. My in-laws have served in the military for generations, and that has shaped their values as a people. When we know someone who has served in the military, we often see these gospel values lived out before us—quiet strength, steady commitment, humility, and selfless love. Their lives become living parables of what Jesus calls us all to be: servants who act not for reward, but out of duty and love.
In their quiet strength and sacrifice, veterans remind us of the gospel’s call to serve with humility and gratitude. Today, we give thanks for our veterans and pray that we may all serve God and one another with the same humble and faithful spirit.
Prayer
Dear Lord, On this November 11th, we ask for an additional outpouring of grace and strength on all who have served in our armed forces. Only those who have served can understand the cost of time, self-discipline, and self-sacrifice required to protect that which we cherish most. Be with every veteran today and their families. May their hearts be filled with peace and love. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Martin of Tours, who is known by many for sharing his cloak with a man who was begging in the cold, lived a faithful life that included standing up to the Roman Caesar as a conscientious objector and his election to the bishopric by popular acclaim.
Martin’s father was a soldier, an officer in the Roman army, and the family relocated several times to accompany him on different assignments. Because Martin was the son of a veteran, at the age of 15, he was forcibly enlisted into the army, though he lived more like a monk than a soldier.
One day, during a severe winter, he met a poor man who was begging near the gate to the city. The man was almost naked and was trembling with cold. Martin felt called to help the man, but he had nothing with him. He drew his sword and cut his army cloak in two—wrapping himself in what was left and giving the beggar the other half.
That night, Martin had a dream in which he saw Jesus himself dressed in the half of the cloak that he had cut. “Martin, yet a catechumen, clothed me with this robe,” he heard Jesus say. Martin had been learning the faith, but was not yet baptized—after that dream, he rushed to complete his initiation into the Church.
As a soldier, he was called upon to fight the barbarians in Gaul, but he refused. He appeared before Caesar before deployment and told him, “I am a soldier of Christ and it is not lawful for me to fight.” The emperor was furious and accused Martin of being a coward. Martin replied that he was willing to advance alone upon the enemy without any weapons. He was thrown into prison.
When he was released, he went to Poitiers, where St. Hilary—now a saint and doctor of the Church—was the bishop. Martin followed Hilary and joined his work in opposing heretical strains of the Christian faith.
After a great deal of travel, Martin wanted to pursue holiness in solitude. Hilary gave him a portion of land where he could live as a hermit. Others joined Martin there, and he established a monastery. He lived there for 10 years, preaching through the region and working miracles.
In 371, the people of nearby Tours demanded that Martin become their bishop. He refused, so they tricked him: they invited him to the town to visit a sick person, and when he arrived, they kidnapped him and delivered him to the church, where other bishops were ready to ordain him. Martin was in poor shape—unkempt and wearing worn-out, humble clothes—and the bishops thought he was not fit for this role, but the people clamored for his ordination.
As bishop, Martin tried to live in a cell attached to the church but was often interrupted, so he moved to the countryside. Again, many others joined him there, so he established another monastery. He opposed paganism in the region, confronting idolatry, preaching, and working miracles to spread the faith. Many other signs and prophecies were attributed to Martin. He advocated for the imprisoned and begged for mercy for those awaiting execution.
Martin died of an illness in old age on Nov. 8, 397, and was buried on this date that year. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel, and he is shown sharing his cloak in this stained glass image from the chapel in Geddes Hall.
St. Martin of Tours, generous soldier who saw Christ even in the poorest beggar—pray for us!
