Word to the Wise
Thursday, January 26, 2017 - Jan. 26 - Sts. Timothy and Titus, bishops
[2 Tim 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5 and Luke 10:1-9]"I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God." [2 Timothy]
Timothy and Titus were co-workers with Paul in his missionary journeys. We are offered a selection from either a letter to Timothy or to Titus for the first scripture today. I am very fond of the words from the Second Letter to Timothy, which I have used on retreats and in parish missions. These words may have been addressed to Timothy, but they are also addressed to all of us. We all need encouragement in our efforts to live out our baptismal commitment both in the short and long term!
We have received a great gift from God - our faith - which is confirmed and strengthened by the presence of the Holy Spirit which we received in baptism and confirmation. As St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us, the "new law" of Christ is nothing other than the Holy Spirit working in our hearts through faith in Christ. (I-II, Q. 106). This faith arises from an encounter with a love greater than any that we could imagine. It is this spirit of "power and love and self-control" that we strive to bear witness to. A quick glance at some of the hardships that Paul endured (2 Cor. 4:7-11 and 6:1-10) would indeed suggest that encouragement would be welcomed in order to maintain the commitment. Our secular culture constantly denies some of our greatest Christian values or else urges us to have a faith of our own designs and convenience. The lives of disciples such as Timothy and Titus tells us how important our faith is. Encouragement helps us to stir it into flame. AMEN