Hôm nay chúng ta mừng kính vị hai môn đệ quan trọng nhất và đáng tin cậy của thánh Phaolô là, Thánh Timothy và Titus. Qua Tân Ước, chúng ta biết nhiều về thánh Timothy hơn là thánh Titus, nhưng những gì chúng ta biết về họ là những gì thánh Phaolô đã nói về họ. Cũng như hầu hết các thánh khác của Giáo Hội thời sơ khai, những gì chúng ta biết về họ là những gì rất quan trọng với Giáo Hội và cho chúng ta: họ là những người Kitô hữu nhiệt thành, là tông đồ của Phúc Âm và những người biết rõ họ đã tôn kính như là những người thánh thiện và do đó đã tôn kính họ như là những vị thánh. Như vậy họ là những mô hình cho tất cả chúng ta là những Kitô hữu.
Chúng ta là những người được gọi là người Công Giáo và là môn đệ của Chúa Kitô, chúng ta biết rằng những ân huệ đặc biệt của Thiên Chúa đem đến với chúng ta cùng với những lời mời gọi. Những ân sủng đặc biệt là những ân sủng để giúp chúng ta biết sống theo ơn gọi riêng của chúng ta, để cố gắng sống trong sự nhiệt thành như các Thánh. Tất cả chúng ta không phải ai cũng được gọi làm Tông Đồ trong ý nghĩa mà Chúa Giêsu đã gọi 12 tông đồ hay như Thánh Phaolô, Thánh Timothy và Titus. Tuy nhiên, đức tin của chúng ta là một đức tin tông truyền bởi vì Chúa Giêsu đã sai các môn đệ của Ngài rao tyền tin Mừng của Ngài khắp mợi nơi trên thế giới và kêu gọi mọi người làm môn đệ của Ngài. Chúng ta hãy cố gắng ít nhất là phải biết sống như theo Tin Mừng và không phải là những chứng ngại vật và gây trở ngại cho việc rao truyền Phúc Âm.
After yesterday’s celebration of Saint Paul’s conversion, we now commemorate his two most important and trusted disciples, Timothy and Titus. We know a lot more about Timothy than about Titus, but what we know about them is what St Paul has to say about them. As with most other saints of the early Church, what we know about them is what is most important for the Church and for us: they were fervent Christians, Apostles of the Gospel and were revered as holy men by those who knew them and thus venerated as saints. As such they are models for all Christians.
Called to be Catholics and disciples of Christ, we know that God’s special grace comes to us along with the calling. The special grace is the grace to live according to the calling, to live as fervently as we can. We are not all called to be Apostles in the same sense that Jesus’ Twelve Apostles or Paul, Timothy and Titus were. Yet our faith is an apostolic faith for Jesus sent his disciples into the world to make disciples of all nations. Let us at least live so as not to be an obstacle to the Gospel. Lord Jesus, grant us the grace to live our faith fervently and responsibly as Your
Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Mark 4:26–27
It’s beautiful to reflect upon how the Word of God changes people’s lives. This short passage above analogizes the sharing of the Word of God with the planting of seed. The sower goes forth and scatters seed into the ground and then observes how that seed grows into a fruitful plant. The mysterious line states “he knows not how.”
So it is with the Word of God. When that Word is received by another, we are blessed to be able to stand back and watch as that Word takes root and transforms their lives. Of course, at times we may sow the Word and it doesn’t take root. This is on account of either the hardness of another’s heart or on account of the way in which we sow. But when the seed of God’s Word does take root, we should be in awe of how God works in that soul.
Think about this reality in your own life. How did you first receive the good seed of God’s word? Perhaps it was through a sermon, a retreat, the reading of Scripture, a book or the witness of another. Think about how you first received God’s Word into your life and what effect it had upon you.
Once God’s Word has taken root in a soul, it is a holy practice to “rise night and day” so as to observe this seed as it grows. Specifically, we must allow ourselves to be amazed at the mysterious way that a life is changed, be it your own life or the life of another. It’s inspiring to observe the soul of a person as it begins to root out sin, to seek virtue, to establish a life of prayer and to grow in the love of God.
If this is something to which you find it hard to relate, then perhaps it’s time to either allow that seed of God’s Word to fall gently and deeply into the fertile ground of your own soul or to prayerfully look for ways in which God wants to use you to sow that seed into the heart of another. Doing the latter takes much openness to the working of the Holy Spirit. It requires that we allow God to inspire us so as to know how we can cooperate with His hand in evangelization.
Reflect, today, upon the “mystery” of a soul who goes through this process of change and spiritual growth. If you find it difficult to find such an example to ponder, then turn to the lives of the saints. The saints are among the greatest witnesses of those who allowed God’s Word to sink deeply into their lives so that they became new creations, transformed by God’s grace. Ponder this transforming witness and allow yourself to be drawn into gratitude and amazement as you do.
My transforming Lord, I thank You for the way that You have sown the seed of Your holy Word into my own life. I thank You for the way in which You have changed me, freed me from sin and set me on the path to holiness. Use me, dear Lord, to sow that seed in the lives of others and fill me with wonder and awe as I witness Your merciful hand at work. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord, you called Timothy and Titus to collaborate with Saint Paul in the great mission of founding churches throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Saint Paul was passionate and not exactly an easy person to get along with. Timothy and Titus persevered in their mission and received sound advice from Paul. Help me to persevere in my mission despite the difficulties that arise.
1. Jesus’ Parables about the Kingdom of God: Jesus uses parables to speak about the mysterious reality of the Kingdom of God he has announced. The parable of the growing seed teaches us that the Kingdom of God is a divine work and not a human achievement. Yes, the farmer needs to prepare the soil, plant seeds, water the ground, and pull up weeds, he is powerless to ripen the grain. In like manner, we should work on behalf of the Kingdom of God, but we are only collaborating with God. The parable of the mustard seed teaches that the Kingdom of God will start out small but eventually grow to universal dimensions. The Church is only the beginning of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom awaits its definitive establishment at the end of time. While Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds, he would explain the meaning of the parables to his disciples. In this way, the mystery of the Kingdom remained hidden to the prideful and was revealed to the humble of heart.
2. Paul’s Coworkers: Sometimes we can mistakenly think that Paul acted alone. The truth is that Paul was surrounded by many coworkers who were coauthors of many of his letters. Paul even sent his coworkers on spe
God never said it's going to be easy. With all our frailties and weaknesses, He knows that we must be able to conscientiously work towards goodness to be worthy of finding meaning and fulfillment in our lives.
This message is emphasized in St. Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus. His admonition for all is to spread the Good News unabashedly, and with strength, with joy and with conviction. The gospel too further cautions us that the mission is difficult and that many will not be of the same mind.
There are numerous belief systems today as it was then. Perhaps, the better and more effective way to share our blessed faith during this complicated, stressful and conflicted times is to conduct our lives with Christ always in our hearts. Let us act as Jesus would. Be fair and honest in our dealings. Be full of mercy and compassion to those less fortunate. Treat everyone kindly and respectfully specially those who are subordinate to us. Avoid resentment, hurtful thoughts, words and deeds. Love all as God loves us.
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