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Sts. Timothy and Titus,
Artist and Date are UNKNOWN
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Commentary:
Note: the Gospel for this Memorial is from the Proper for the day [Friday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time]
Reading 1: 2 Timothy 1:1-8
Commentary on 2 Tm 1:1-8
St. Paul writes to one of his key disciples, St. Timothy, from Rome where he is a prisoner. It is clear that the affection between the two of them is strong as Paul reminds him of his installation as Bishop ("…the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands”). Paul encourages Timothy to remain strong and faithful to the Gospel, even in the face of opposition.
CCC: 2 Tm 1:3 1794; 2 Tm 1:5 2220; 2 Tm 1:6 1577, 1590; 2 Tm 1:8 2471, 2506
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Or: Titus 1:1-5
Commentary on Ti 1:1-5
This selection is the introduction to St. Paul’s letter to Titus. "The heading is particularly long and formal. It contains, as usual (cf. Romans 1: 1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:13; etc.), the sender's name--Paul; the addressee's --Titus; and the greeting--"Grace and peace". In this case, however, Paul's title (Apostle), and the prerogatives of his authority and his God-given mandate to preach are given special emphasis (v. 3). This has led some scholars to argue that the epistle was in fact written by a disciple of St Paul--who would have put in all this about the Apostle's authority in order to give the letter more weight. However, it is more reasonable to suppose that when St Paul was writing the letter he had Titus very much in mind and also the community in Crete, whom false teachers were beginning to unsettle; the solemn, official tone would be due to the serious nature of their doctrinal aberrations and to the need to ensure that the church in Crete was property organized."[4]
In the second paragraph he lets us know what Titus’ mission is: to form the Church on Crete (which according to the best scholarship, Paul himself never visited).
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10
R. (3) Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Commentary on Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10
“Announce his salvation, day after day.” This song of praise to the Lord invites all humanity to participate in God’s salvation. “This psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Isaiah Chapters 40-55, as does Psalm 98. Another version of the psalm is 1 Chronicles 16:23-33.”[5]
CCC: Ps 96:2 2143
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Gospel: Mark 4:26-34
Commentary on Mk 4:26-34
We are given two parables from the Gospel of St. Mark. The first is unique to Mark’s Gospel, and follows the parable of the Sower in Mark 4:1-9. The mystery of the seed is analogous to Jesus’ own ministry which starts as a seed but grows to encompass the world. Another frequent analogy follows: the seed, apparently dying, falling to the earth and buried, then rising to new life - the great Paschal Mystery.
The second parable, the parable of the Mustard Seed, echoes the vision of the Kingdom of God described in Ezekiel 17:23; Ezekiel 31:6, with the image of the Kingdom of God providing a resting place for all, just as the giant cedars of Lebanon do for the birds.
CCC: Mk 4:33-34 546
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Homily:
The Gospel we use for the Memorial of Sts. Timothy and Titus is taken, not from the proper readings assigned for this memorial, but from the Gospel assigned for the day (in this case, Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time). As always happens, this Gospel truth places an emphasis on the first reading that changes each year. Today it reminds us that what we risk losing when we fall into the trap of sin is nothing less than the Kingdom of God and eternal life. What we also recognize from the Gospel is that the more gifted the person is the higher the bar is set, the greater the Lord’s expectations (e.g. the parable of the talents). As members of one of the most affluent societies on earth, this should be a grave warning for us indeed. We are called to a higher standard of behavior, a greater love of neighbor and God, a more charitable life-style.
The Lord calls us (as he called Sts. Timothy and Titus) not to be comfortable with our wealth and power, but to see it as both a responsibility and as a risk. Instead of seeing those with great wealth through the eyes of envy, we should look at them with pity, for their accountability will be great, and the risk they face is immense. He called them: first the Apostles and St. Paul. They in turn found others whose faith allowed them to hear and understand the truth of the Gospel. Sts. Timothy and Titus were of this generation. They received the Gospel of Christ from St. Paul who charged them to take it where it had not been before, being faithful to what they had been given and fearlessly take it into the world.
Saints like Timothy and Titus are important, not just for what they did in bringing the word of God into the world, but also for their example to us. Imagine how difficult it was for them to bring Christ to those who had never heard of him. We are asked to do the same, although it’s not likely that we will find anyone who has never heard of the Lord.
Today we ask for the intercession of Sts. Titus and Timothy. We ask that they send us their prayers and strengthen us for our evangelical journey. May we proclaim the Lord with all we say and do.
Pax
[1] The icons are of Sts. Timothy and Titus, Artist and Date are UNKNOWN
[4] The Navarre Bible: “Letters of St. Paul”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 611
[5] See NAB footnote on Psalm 96
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