One Half-Cloak

a devotional for Martinmas

Advent is on its way! Are you looking for a simple yet meaningful daily resource to journey with through this special season?

My poetry-based devotional, PILGRIM GOD, is available as an ebook for $2.99 OR free to read with Kindle Unlimited!

The devotional is also perpetual, so once you buy it you can use it any year.

May it bless your Advent season!

Photo by Sandra Filipe on Unsplash

Martin sees the soul 
shivering in the snow
and pauses in devotion,

lifting his red cloak from his shoulders
and rending it in two. 

for a soldier, you see, one half-cloak will do
and sacrifice is a choice
made once
for the rest of their lives. 

untold many wander
half-cloaked through their days
the blood-red at their shoulders
a shadow of the weight they carry;

a testament
to the gift of life—
torn in two, forever—
they freely
gave.

November 11th is a day reserved by many around the world to honor those who have served and died in the line of military duty. This day—also known as Remembrance Day or Veteran’s Day—was chosen because it coincides with the end of WWI in 1918, originally known as Armistice Day.

Another interesting coincidence is that this day is also the traditional saint day of the very popular Saint Martin of Tours. Martin was a Roman soldier who was baptized into the Christian faith and become renowned for his generosity, including giving half of his cloak to a beggar on a cold snowy day. Because of his story, he is considered the patron saint of soldiers.  

As the daughter, wife, niece, cousin, friend, neighbor, and descendent of veterans, this day always carries a special weight for me. The duty of combat or defense of any kind is a heavy one, with often deep consequences on the body and the psyche. My gratitude to those who made that choice is difficult to express. We remember those who served, and those who passed in that service. We also remember those who still bear the wounds of every kind.

To all the veterans in my family, past and present, thank you.

If any veterans are reading this now—or anyone who loves or lost a veteran—I thank you, too, and pray a special blessing on you, today:

May the shelter of our Good God surround you, as you once chose to shelter others with your life.

May you be comforted with untold comfort.

May you know a truly miraculous peace.

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