Happy Feast to any of you named Timothy (Tim) or Titus !!
What a beautiful reading we have today, of St. Paul writing a tender letter to his beloved co-disciple Timothy, who he thinks of as a son.
Timothy had a Greek father, and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Being the product of a “mixed” marriage, he was considered illegitimate by the Jews. It was his grandmother Lois who first became Christian. Timothy was a convert of Paul around the year 47 and later joined him in his apostolic work. He was with Paul at the founding of the Church in Corinth. During the 15 years he worked with Paul, he became one of his most faithful and trusted friends and was sent on difficult missions by Paul, often in the face of great disturbance in the local churches which Paul had founded.
Paul writes this letter to his beloved Timothy while in prison, and gently encourages him to continue to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the same Paul who once persecuted Christians with a passion and upon encountering a transformative conversion (which incidentally was celebrated yesterday), abruptly did a 360 degree turn and became an ardent supporter of Christ and the most influential teacher in the history of Christianity (after Jesus, of course). He was the Christian Church’s apostle to the Gentiles.
This letter is also addressed to each one of us, living now in 2021. Despite the difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent election results, regardless of which side of the political spectrum one may reside, St. Paul is nevertheless exhorting us to exercise the power of love and self-control and to “bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.”
Find joy in the simple things of life and notice the daily miracles taking place all around you. Rejoice in the warm sunshine and harken to the sound of birds singing. God’s beauty is all around us. In the words of the responsorial psalm “Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.”
Titus had the distinction of being a close friend and disciple of Paul as well as a fellow missionary. Titus is seen as a peacemaker, administrator, and great friend. When Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth, Titus was the bearer of Paul’s severe letter and was successful in smoothing things out.
Through these letters of St. Paul, we get a glimpse of life in the early church. Despite the great zeal in the apostolate, there is always the problem of human nature and the unglamorous details of daily life; the need for charity and patience in “quarrels with others, fears within myself,” as Paul says. Through it all, the love of Christ sustained them.
May the love of Christ, sustain us all through these difficult times, and may we become beacons of light and hope to all we encounter. Let us be the “mother” and “brothers” of Jesus, doing the will of God, to the best of our ability.
