The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to contemplate the mission of the leaders in the Church and act with thanksgiving for their witness.
The Reading from the Second Letter to Timothy proclaims a Greeting and Thanksgiving for The Gifts Timothy Has Received.
* [1:1–2] For the formula of address and greeting, see note on Rom 1:1–7.
* [1:1] The promise of life in Christ Jesus: that God grants through union with Christ in faith and love; cf. Col 3:4; 1 Tm 4:8.
* [1:3] As my ancestors did: this emphasizes the continuity of Judaism and Christianity; for a similar view, see Rom 9:3–5; Phil 3:4–6.
* [1:4–5] Purportedly written from prison in Rome (2 Tm 1:8, 17; 4:6–8) shortly before the writer’s death, the letter recalls the earlier sorrowful parting from Timothy, commending him for his faith and expressing the longing to see him again.
* [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. (2 Timothy, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Reading from the Letter to Titus offers a Greeting toTitus in Crete.
* [1:1–4] On the epistolary form, see note on Rom 1:1–7. The apostolate is the divinely appointed mission to lead others to the true faith and through it to eternal salvation (1–3).
* [1:5–9] This instruction on the selection and appointment of presbyters (Titus, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 96 invites all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God.
* [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. (Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Luke, from the CCCB lectionary, proclaims The Mission of the Seventy-two.
* [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.
* [10:1] Seventy[-two]: important representatives of the Alexandrian and Caesarean text types read “seventy,” while other important Alexandrian texts and Western readings have “seventy-two.”
* [10:4] Carry no money bag…greet no one along the way: because of the urgency of the mission and the singlemindedness required of missionaries, attachment to material possessions should be avoided and even customary greetings should not distract from the fulfillment of the task.
* [10:5] First say, ‘Peace to this household’: see notes on Lk 2:14 and Mt 10:13.
* [10:6] A peaceful person: literally, “a son of peace.” (Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Mark, presents the comparison of Jesus and Beelzebul.
* [3:22] By Beelzebul: see note on Mt 10:25. Two accusations are leveled against Jesus: (1) that he is possessed by an unclean spirit and (2) by the prince of demons he drives out demons. Jesus answers the second charge by a parable (Mk 3:24–27) and responds to the first charge in Mk 3:28–29.
* [3:29] Whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit: this sin is called an everlasting sin because it attributes to Satan, who is the power of evil, what is actually the work of the holy Spirit, namely, victory over the demons. (Mark, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)
Larry Hopp comments that today’s readings remind us to remain alert, to stand firm against the lies and persecution we will be facing throughout our lives. It is imperative that we remain bold and confident as we seek to become the man or woman that God created us to be.
Dear Heavenly Father, help us to never lose sight of who you are and your countless wonderous deeds that we experience every moment of our lives. Help us to live a life that has obviously been touched by you. Stir in us the flame of your love and purpose. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen (Hopp, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The cross of Christ as victory,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"It is not difficult, therefore, to see how the devil was conquered when he, who was slain by him, rose again. But there is something greater and more profound of comprehension: to see how the devil was conquered precisely when he was thought to be conquering, namely, when Christ was crucified. For at that moment the blood of him who had no sin at all, was shed for the remission of our sins (Matthew 26:28, 1 John 3:5). The devil deservedly held those whom he had bound by sin to the condition of death. So it happened that One who was guilty of no sin freed them justly from this condemnation (Hebrews 2:14). The strong man was conquered by this paradoxical justice and bound by this chain, that his vessels [booty] might be taken away. Those vessels which had been vessels of wrath were turned into vessels of mercy (Romans 9:22-23)." (excerpt ON THE TRINITY 13.15.19) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Timothy 1:1-8 comments that we read St. Paul’s metaphor in today’s first reading about a single glowing ember becoming a blazing fire. When that ember is the gift of God’s grace through the Holy Spirit, Paul says, it can be stirred up into a furnace of divine grace and power!
Whatever step you take, remember that the spark of the Holy Spirit is unquenchable—nothing life throws at you can fully dim its glow. Every day there is a new chance to rouse that flicker of flame into a mighty blaze!
“Holy Spirit, set my life on fire for God!” (Meditation on 2 Timothy 1:1-8, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that, when not on Sunday, January 25 celebrates the conversion of St. Paul. and today we read two pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus, attributed to Paul, because of different vocabulary, theology and ecclesiology that is much more developed than Paul’s in 50 - 63 CE. The letter commends Timothy for living according to the promise of the ancestors. Timothy is Jewish in his mother’s line, rather young, and not necessarily listened to. Even so,he did exercise a function within the community. Titus talks about the promise from before time began, as a Gentile Christian who is referred to as an episcopas or “bishop” serving as overseer and to choose "presbyters” in the establishment of the hierarchy noted in Ignatius letters. The family of Jesus sought to take Him home and the Pharisees claim him to be possessed. Friar Jude comments on the Jewish twisting of Beelzebul and the idea that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Sins against the Holy Spirit include blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, by holding the guilt of sin is stronger than the Mercy of God or acting in sin on the presumption of forgiveness.
Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces authors Jennifer Garcia Bashaw and Aaron Higashi who highlight that the Bible includes stories from many voices across different times and cultures.
The voice of a tenth-century BCE court history, for instance, is different from the voice of a sixth-century BCE piece of wisdom literature, which is also different from the voice of a late first-century CE gospel. Just as a quilt is made of many different sections, or an anthology is made of many different essays, the Bible is a collection of independent things. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)
Spiritual writer Carl McColman describes how recognizing multiple voices in the Bible allows us to center those voices that communicate God’s love, mercy, and justice.
A mystical reading of the Bible sees it as a conversation with many voices chiming in. Unfortunately, some of those voices are racist, sexist, homophobic, classist, or comfortable with the authoritarian exercise of power. But other voices also present in the Bible seek to challenge all of the above, promoting a world where privilege is dismantled, nonviolence is an ethical mandate, and compassion is the guiding principle for both individual behavior and social norms. Learning to read the Bible like a mystic includes learning to recognize all those different voices and discern which ones primarily function as “bad” examples and which ones are truly there to inspire us and draw us closer to God. When we read the Bible to connect with those compassionate and just voices, it is not only the Bible that is saved, but we ourselves also become more whole. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)
When we apply the tripod of piety, study, and action to our mission as Jesus’ disciples we express gratitude for our foreparents in the faith and the voices they echo interpreted with the guidance of the Spirit.
References
Hopp, L. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-january-26-2026
Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10
Mark, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/3?22
Meditation on 2 Timothy 1:1-8. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/01/26/1487686/
Psalms, PSALM 96 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/96?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/many-voices-one-text/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Frees Us from Satan's Power. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
Titus, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/titus/1?1
2 Timothy, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 26, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2timothy/1?1
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