Minute Meditations

Real Love
Real love shows up not only in times of great joy, delight, and fulfillment but especially when life seems overwhelming and incomprehensible, filled with unbearable suffering and sorrow. It is in these times that love has shown me the way, not around the pain but through it.
— from Woman of Strength

Daily Prayer - 2016-01-26

Presence

Freedom

Consciousness

The Word of God

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops

Reading 1 2 Tm 1:1-8

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
for the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
to Timothy, my dear child:
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God,
whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,
as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.
I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears,
so that I may be filled with joy,
as I recall your sincere faith
that first lived in your grandmother Lois
and in your mother Eunice
and that I am confident lives also in you.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control.
So 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.

Or Ti 1:1-5

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ
for the sake of the faith of God's chosen ones
and the recognition of religious truth,
in the hope of eternal life
that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,
who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior,
to Titus, my true child in our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you.

Responsorial Psalm PS 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

R. (3) Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Alleluia See Mt 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 3:31-35

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
"Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you."
But he said to them in reply,
"Who are my mother and my brothers?"
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
"Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother."

Conversation

Conclusion

Meditation: 2 Timothy 1:1-8

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Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops (Memorial)

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. (2 Timothy 1:2)

Today we celebrate two of St. Paul's best-known companions: Timothy and Titus. Both were young men when they began working with Paul, and both grew to become 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.

A highly regarded member of the Christian community in Lystra, Timothy had a deep love for God (Acts 16:2). We first hear about him when Paul visits Lystra during his second missionary journey. Paul meets the young man and is so impressed with his faith that he invites Timothy along as a helper.

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 reminds 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).

Timothy doesn't sound too good so far, 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 fully (Philippians 2:19-23).

Timothy's shortcomings teach us that God can write straight on crooked lines. He can work with imperfect people. Like him, we need to allow ourselves to be formed and transformed over time. As we do, 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 Timothy's example of faithful service. 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."

Psalm 96:1-3, 7-8, 10
Mark 3:31-35