TWO GREAT BISHOPS IN THE INFANT CHURCH
(A biblical refection on the Memorial of Saint Timothy and Saint Titus, Thursday 26 January 2012)
First Reading: 2Timothy 1:1-8
First Reading (alt.): Tit 1:1-5; Psalms: Ps 96:1-37-8,10; Gospel Reading: Mk 4:21-25
The Scripture Text
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,
To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers. As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you. Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.
Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but take your share of suffering for the Gospel in the power of God. (2Tim 1:1-8 RSV)
References to Saints Timothy and Titus – and the important roles they played in spreading the Gospel and pastoring the infant Church – are sprinkled throughout the New Testament. From these passages, we know that Saint Paul had great confidence in the ability of these two disciples to accomplish the work of bringing the Good News to the Gentile world.
Titus was a Greek whom Paul called his “partner and fellow worker” (2Cor 8:23). He accompanied Paul on his second visit to Jerusalem (Gal 2:1) and, after a visit to Corinth, brought comforting news to Paul about the renewed zeal of the church there (2Cor 7:5-7). Paul assured the Corinthians that Titus earnestly cared for them (2Cor 8:16).
Timothy was Paul’s “beloved and faithful child in the Lord” (1Cor 4:17). The son of a Jewish mother and Greek father whom Paul met at Lystra (Acts 16:1-3, Timothy accompanied Paul on many of his missions and also was sent as Paul’s emissary to several of the Christian communities (1Thess 3:2,6; 1Cor 16:10). Paul was deeply grateful for Timothy and his service, telling the Phillipians “how as a son with a father he has served with me in the Gospel” (Phil 2:22).
Both Titus and Timothy received the “gift of God” through baptism, and their faith was nurtured by their mothers. It was this gift of the Spirit that enabled both of them to become servants of God whom Paul loved and trusted: “Our sufficiency is from God, who has qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit” (2Cor 3:5-6). What qualified Timothy and Titus, and what qualifies us, to become workers in God’s Kingdom if not the gift of the Spirit? As Paul exhorted Timothy, let us too “rekindle” the gift of God by humbly asking the Lord to fill us – and refill us – with His Holy Spirit.
Short Prayer: Holy Spirit, we surrender our lives to You. Fire us with Your love. Banish the fears that hold us back from receiving You, and the doubts that make us think wea re unqualified to do Your work. We want to serve You and Your Kingdom. Amen.