The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate how the gifts of grace, mercy and peace that Timothy and Titus received can be energized in our lives to be Christ to those we encounter in daily life.
 |
| Encounter mercy and peace |
The Second Letter to Timothy gives us a view of the blessings and challenges facing the young disciple of Paul in his ministry in Ephesus.
* [1:6] The gift of God: the grace resulting from the conferral of an ecclesiastical office. The imposition of my hands: see note on 1 Tm 4:14.
* [1:8] Do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord: i.e., of preaching and suffering for the sake of the gospel.1
In the Gospel from Mark, the misunderstanding of family members of Jesus mission is expressed.
* [3:20–35] Within the narrative of the coming of Jesus’ relatives (Mk 3:20–21) is inserted the account of the unbelieving scribes from Jerusalem who attributed Jesus’ power over demons to Beelzebul (Mk 3:22–30); see note on Mk 5:21–43. There were those even among the relatives of Jesus who disbelieved and regarded Jesus as out of his mind (Mk 3:21).2
Tom Drzaic asks was Jesus tired and stressed, needing time away from the crowds to recharge? Was the message of His ministry getting lost in the miracles that were being performed, with earthly needs and desires taking precedent over the message of love and eternal salvation?
Upon reflecting upon these questions, I found that the answer to both questions was yes. The first question that Jesus, being fully divine and human, would relate to the human stresses we experience is understandable. This not only reinforces our need for time to relax and for quiet reflection, but also is comforting in that with God experiencing and relating to challenges and frustrations I feel, God can speak more deeply to me.Regarding the second question, I thought of the times I was like one of those seeking out God for a miracle, only wanting a need or desire fulfilled. It is easy at times for me to fall into this childlike relationship with God, praying for this or that favor and if only that would happy I would be more fulfilled. It is at these times when focus is lost, that it is important to remember that Jesus is my intercessor for eternal salvation and not a Santa like figure that I go to like a child wanting a wish list filled.3
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus' worried kinfolk,” by Jerome (347-420 AD).
"In the Gospel we read that even his kinsfolk desired to bind him as one of weak mind (Mark 3:21). His opponents also reviled him saying, 'You are a Samaritan and have a devil' (John 8:48)." (excerpt from LETTER 108, TO EUSTOCHIUM)4
The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Timothy 1:1-8 comments that two things that become evident in Paul’s letters to Timothy are the young leader’s lack of experience and his timid personality. Paul admonishes Timothy to stand firm and not yield to erroneous teachings—essentially, to get some backbone and confront the issues threatening the faith of the Christian community at Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:18-20). On another occasion, Paul exhorts him to be more assertive when addressing the community (2 Timothy 1:7) and reminds him how to conduct his personal life (1 Timothy 5:1-6).
What can Timothy’s shortcomings teach us? That God can write straight on crooked lines. He can work with imperfect people. Timothy’s story encourages us to be patient with ourselves—and with each other. It tells us that God is always at work forming and transforming his people, to the point where they are able to work wonders for the gospel.
If God could work in Timothy, he can work in all of us. Even you!5
The blog by Franciscan Media notes the details of a harried bishop’s life and that Saints Timothy and Titus are the Patron Saints of Stomach Disorders.
In Titus we get another glimpse of life in the early Church: great zeal in the apostolate, great communion in Christ, great friendship. Yet always there is 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. At the end of the Letter to Titus, Paul says that when the temporary substitute comes, “hurry to me.”6
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the advanced ecclesiology concerning hierarchy in the Pastoral Epistles. Two levels of faith are visible in the Gospel. Pharisees rejecting Jesus and confused family who don't get it yet. Friar Jude points to our personal cross as the place where we have the opportunity to get it with Jesus.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, contemplates the changes as we are able to open our heart to our “enemy,” and allow God’s love to flow through us to them. Picture their face and send them warmth and tenderness. If this is a struggle, begin by focusing on someone that is easy for you to love, for whom you feel natural affection. Then broaden that circle of compassion to friends, acquaintances, and strangers. No one is outside the embrace of God’s loving presence!
First, I want to point out that violent, fundamentalist religious groups use God-talk constantly: “God is great. This is for God. I’m a martyr for God. I’m on God’s good side, but you’re going to hell.” Their words and behavior are rooted in dualistic thinking where everything is clear-cut, black and white, good and bad. This is religion at its worst, entirely lacking in inner experience. And so, we can imagine how someone might say, “God is great!” and pull out a gun to shoot thirty people or shout hate speech, having not experienced God as infinite and inclusive love.7
The backbone to confront the issues that diminish our experience of Christ come from the gifts of grace, mercy, peace and eventual understanding that move our transformation to love all people.
References
1
|
(n.d.). 2 Timothy, chapter 1 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/2timothy/1
|
2
|
(n.d.). Mark, chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved January 26, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/3
|
3
|
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved January 26, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
|
4
|
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 26, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
|
5
|
(n.d.). Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops (Memorial) - Mass Readings and .... Retrieved January 26, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/
|
6
|
(n.d.). Saints Timothy and Titus - Franciscan Media. Retrieved January 26, 2019, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saints-timothy-and-titus/
|
7
|
(2019, January 22). Daily Meditations Archive: January 2019 - Center for Action and .... Retrieved January 26, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/2019/01/
|
No comments:
Post a Comment