TODAY'S WORD

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)


TODAY'S REFLECTION

Today's memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus is celebrated after yesterday's feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.

St. Timothy and St. Titus were disciples of St. Paul, and he calls them affectionately as a "child of mine".

St. Paul saw himself as their spiritual father and he had formed them in the faith and he had appointed them as leaders of their respective communities.

More than just for the purpose of continuity and succession, what was urgent was the mission of the proclamation of the Good News.

As Jesus said in the gospel, "The harvest is rich but the labourers are few." And Jesus also added, "So ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to the harvest."

So for St. Paul it was not just about appointing capable and efficient people to be the leaders of the communities that he had founded.

He had to pray to the Lord and to see who the Lord was sending as labourers for the harvest.

May they answer the call of the Lord and offer themselves generously to be labourers in the harvest of the Kingdom of God.


QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Are we ready to be enrolled into the school of Jesus, the Greatest Missionary and learn from him the “art of passionate zeal for missions?”

Zeal for missions… zeal for reaching out in help and service… is indeed a task entrusted to every Christian.

God has blessed us immensely with many good things… and it is our duty to put all these blessings and graces for the Glory of the Lord

Do we wholeheartedly accept this responsibility…or do we make ‘lame’ excuses and avoid this mandate?


LESSONS FROM THESE TWO GREAT SAINTS

These two great saints teach us important lessons on living as a follower of Christ…

… Christ reminds and exhorts every one of us: “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves…” (Lk 10:2-3)

Being ready to face any challenge or opposition in being a witness to the Gospel

St Timothy and St Titus had to face innumerable opposition – from within community, from the persecutors around, in their mission journeys etc

… yet to remained firm and faithful to their mission mandate

Are we ready to brave every challenge to be a Courageous witness of the Gospel in our own life situations?

Readiness to depend on the Lord for everything

Giving heed to the words of the Lord to his missionary apostles, “Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road.” (Lk 10:4)… we are reminded on the need to avoid reliance on material dimensions of life; instead to have our dependence totally on the Lord!

St Timothy and St Titus experienced the fruits of this “total dependence” in their ministries!

Can we let go of our various attachments and trust deeper in the Providence of the Lord?

Untiring zeal and passion for the Kingdom

St Timothy and St Titus accompanied St Paul in his missionary journeys…

… and learnt the “art of passionate zeal for missions” in imitation of Christ

RESOLUTION

Let is resolve to imitate them and ask their help to “rekindle the gift of God that is within…” (Cf. 2 Tim 1:6)

May the missionary zeal of St Timothy and St Titus inspire us.

_Happy Feast of St Timothy and St Titus!_

God bless you

Happy Republic Day

Let's pray for our country and our leaders.

Let's stand with the FARMERS the backbone of our country in their protest for Justice