Who are Saints Timothy & Titus?
Do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. (2 Timothy 1:8)
Evangelization is not an easy task. With their mentor Saint Paul, Saints Timothy and Titus experienced rejection and discouragement but also joy in proclaiming the triumph of Christ dead and risen, and in building up the Church in his name.
Timothy and Titus were both collaborators with Paul in his ministry to the Gentiles. Tradition holds that they were the recipients of Paul’s “pastoral epistles,” letters replete with practical advice for the two pastors. Above all, Paul encourages Timothy and Titus to remain faithful to Christ, “nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching you have followed” (1 Timothy 4:6). Timothy is believed to have been the first bishop of Ephesus. Titus served as bishop of Crete. Timothy’s relics are preserved at the Cathedral of Termoli in Molise, Italy; Titus’ remains are in Venice.
MEDITATION OF THE DAY
Saints Timothy and Titus.
Today we celebrate two of Saint Paul's best-known companions: Timothy and Titus. Both were young men when they began working with Paul, and both became leaders of the church in their own right. While we don't know all that much about Titus, Scripture gives us a good portrait of Timothy. So let's see what we can learn from this man's life in the Lord.
Scripture portrays Timothy as a highly regarded member of the Christian community in Lystra and a man with a deep love for God (Acts 16:2). We first hear about him when Paul visits Lystra during his second missionary journey. That's where Paul meets the young man and is impressed enough with his faith to invite him along as a helper in proclaiming the gospel.
Two things that become evident in Paul's letters to Timothy are the young leader's lack of experience and his tendency to be timid in his leadership. Paul admonishes him 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). So far, Timothy doesn't sound so good, does he? But.... the positive thing about him is his openness to Paul's teaching and encouragement. As time goes by, Paul begins to have more confidence and trust in him and relies on him more and more fully (Philippians 2:19-23).
What can Timothy's shortcomings teach us? That God can write straight on crooked lines—He can work with imperfect people.
We also need to allow ourselves to be formed and transformed over time, and we too will be able to work wonders for the gospel. If God could work in Timothy, He can work in all of us. So hand yourself over to the Lord and let Him turn you into His emissary!
"Thank you, Father, for the example that Timothy gives to us as a faithful servant. Send your Holy Spirit to raise up men and women like Him who have a sincere love for you and who are willing to serve your church at any cost." ... See MoreSee Less
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Giving CRHP a try... take part in this treasure we have, going to a CRHP weekend could be that unexpected gift you didn't realize you needed at this time. Register at this link www.crhpatolm.com/
An Invitation For You….
Are you feeling the malaise, uneasiness, lack of peace, or are just stuck? Maybe you are battling isolation or are in need of pampering?
Are you in need of a renewal of faith? Perhaps now is the time to step away from the stress and distractions of daily life by coming to the Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) Renewal Weekend.
Let's take this opportunity we couldn't even have for many months back in 2020 to respond to the invitation of attending a CRHP Renewal weekend.
In Mark’s Gospel 6:31, Jesus instructs His apostles to “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for awhile.” In His love for His brothers, He wants them to take some time to rest, to pray, and to reflect on their love for Him and for each other.
Jesus will eventually go to the cross and in His agony tell the Apostles and us that He thirsts for our love and this is a daily, real and present thirst of His; Saint Mother Teresa of Kolkata always pointed this out to her sisters.
Consciously or subconsciously, we too thirst for Jesus’ love. We too, just like the Apostles, need some time with Jesus to deepen our love for Him. Why? Because His love is life-giving.
Jesus is inviting you to a special place here at Our Lady of Mercy to rest for a while. In this place, you will be spiritually re-energized and refreshed by the power of the Holy Spirit. On February 19 and 20, the men are invited to a Christ Renews His Parish weekend with a corresponding invitation to the women on February 26 and 27. The weekend begins on Saturday morning and ends on Sunday afternoon.
Men’s Weekend is 2/19 through 2/20
Women’s Weekend is 2/26 through 2/27
During your weekend, you will hear parishioners share talks with you on Christian Renewal, Spirituality, Christian Community, Christian Awareness, The Scriptures, The Father’s Loving Care, New Life in Christ, Reconciliation, The Eucharist, and Discipleship. You will participate in very powerful Liturgies, sing, laugh, maybe cry a little, eat very well, make some new friends, and leave the weekend renewed and refreshed. The Christ Renews His Parish weekend is a gift from Our Lady of Mercy that can be freely taken by anyone who simply answers yes to the invitation. There is no pressure on anyone to share on the weekend unless they want to share. Jesus simply wants to spend some time with you in a deserted place where the distractions of the world are left behind for a while.
We pray that you will consider this wonderful invitation for renewal. We look forward to meeting you at the weekend and journeying with you as Christ encounters us in that deserted place.
Yours In Christ | The CRHP Ministry at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church
Still uncertain about attending? Listen to Alejandro Hardaway's story from several weeks ago, about coming to CRHP (short 4-minute video)
youtu.be/QbvYeri-Hc4
Perhaps the following two additional quick stories from Wendy Jo and Erica may inspire you as they share the uncertainties they faced about attending a CRHP Renewal Weekend.
Talking Myself Out of Attending the Retreat
Listen to how Wendy Jo made a movement from talking herself out to attending the retreat to actually attending and how that restless decision bore an extraordinary outcome for her, where she was re-energized, inspired, and transformed as a result of attending the CRHP Christ Renews His Parish Renewal Weekend.
youtu.be/PjW8w95xmKU
Giving CRHP "a try"
After doing some research on local churches in 2019, Erica decided to give “Our Lady of Mercy a try” and responded to the invitation of attending a CRHP Christ Renews His Parish Renewal weekend. From going to Church only on Christmas and Easter to going to a CRHP Renewal weekend, listen to how she responded to the invitation.
youtu.be/tdJ0NNtb84E
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