The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, invite us to contemplate the combination of love and discipline that we need to practice as disciples of Jesus.
Loving discipline
The reading from the second Letter to Timothy contains thanksgiving and encouragement for his mission.
* [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
Psalm 96 praises God Who comes in judgement.
* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33.2
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus describes the Mission of the Seventy.
* [10:1–12] Only the Gospel of Luke contains two episodes in which Jesus sends out his followers on a mission: the first (Lk 9:1–6) is based on the mission in Mk 6:6b–13 and recounts the sending out of the Twelve; here in Lk 10:1–12 a similar report based on Q becomes the sending out of seventy-two in this gospel. The episode continues the theme of Jesus preparing witnesses to himself and his ministry. These witnesses include not only the Twelve but also the seventy-two who may represent the Christian mission in Luke’s own day. Note that the instructions given to the Twelve and to the seventy-two are similar and that what is said to the seventy-two in Lk 10:4 is directed to the Twelve in Lk 22:35.3
Mary Lee Brock (2016) comments that the words from Paul challenge her. How can she take the gifts from God to support friends in living their faith?
Paul also inspires me to ask myself these questions: How am I a trustworthy friend? Do I create the opportunity to do as the Psalm calls to “Announce God’s salvation day after day?” How can I be present to a friend, colleague or family member who views things differently than I do? What can I do to remind those in my life to appreciate the gifts of grace, mercy and peace from God the Father? When am I open to an abiding friendship in God as Paul and Timothy shared?4
Don Schwager quotes “The cross of Christ as victory,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 430-543 A.D.
"[Mary] did the Father's will. It was this in her that the Lord magnified, not merely that her flesh gave birth to flesh... When he said, 'Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it' (Luke 11:28), he was in effect saying: 'My mother whom you have called blessed is blessed for the reason that she keeps the Word of God, not that the Word was made flesh in her and dwelt among us (John 1:14), but that she keeps the very Word of God through which she was made and which was made flesh in her." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON JOHN 10.3.2)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Timothy 1:1-8 notes that saints Timothy and Titus, whose feasts we celebrate today, probably had to face fear as well. Imagine the difficulties Timothy encountered setting up churches in Greece (Acts 16:1–17:14). And for his part, Titus had to deliver a rebuke to the Corinthians and address internal divisions in the church at Crete (2 Corinthians 7:6, 13-14; Titus 1:4-5). Both men could have let fear get in their way—and if they had, we might not be reading this passage today. But it’s apparent that the Holy Spirit helped them overcome their fear.
Can you think of just one person who needs a touch from the Lord in their life? Maybe Jesus is prompting you to speak to that person. Ask the Spirit to fill you with love and the courage to reach out to them. The next time you see them, don’t let fear get the upper hand. You don’t have to “convert” them. Just love them and share something about what God has done for you—the Lord will do the rest. “Holy Spirit, fill me with zeal and with love for your people.”6
Friar Jude Winkler explains the scholarship that suggests these letters were written by a disciple of Paul. The organization of the Church at the time of these letters included presbyters in many towns. Friar Jude comments on the relatives of Jesus as mentioned in the Gospel chosen today by the USCCB ( Mark 3:31-35 ).
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that “Our Story” feels so sacred that most religion works at this level as a belonging system more than a search for intimacy with God. The second dome becomes an avoidance of the third and most all-inclusive (The Story).
He sees this in many seminarians, young priests, and bishops, after having given them retreats for many years. They put all their eggs in the Roman Catholic basket, but they have little curiosity about their own shadow or inner life. Their goal is not really love of God, but the love of “my priesthood” as it is often strangely called.
Jesus was not into groupthink or loyalty tests. I’m convinced God could care less about them, but God also seems to know that we need symbols, songs, sacred times and places for communal support and encouragement. However, we will need these boundary markers less and less as we move toward the real Center. Thus, we often see a certain freedom in wise elders and people who have suffered and come through renewed. In the second half of life, we don’t need to be a hero anymore and we may not even need to belong. We just need to be real. Saint Augustine put it most daringly, “Love [God] and do what you will!” [1]7
The Spirit that overcomes our fear brings the courage to allow our love in Christ to live the Good News of including all people in our mission.
References
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