>> A READING FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND LETTER OF SAINT PAUL TO TIMOTHY. 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. THE WORD OF THE LORD. >> THANKS BE TO GOD. >> PROCLAIM GOD'S MARVELOUS DEEDS TO ALL THE NATIONS. >> 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. >> 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. >> 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! >> 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. >> PROCLAIM GOD'S MARVELOUS DEEDS TO ALL THE NATIONS. (ORGAN) >> ♪ ALLELUIA ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ THE LORD SENT ME TO BRING GLAD TIDINGS TO THE POOR AND TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO CAPTIVES >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ DOMINUS VOBISCUM ♪ >> ♪ ET CUM SPIRITU TUO ♪ >> ♪ LECTIO SANCTI EVANGELII SECUNDUM LUCAM ♪ >> ♪ GLORIA TIBI, DOMINE ♪ >> THE LORD JESUS APPOINTED SEVENTY TWO OTHER DISCIPLES WHOM HE SENT AHEAD OF HIM IN PAIRS TO EVERY TOWN AND PLACE HE INTENDED TO VISIT. HE SAID TO THEM, THE HARVEST IS ABUNDANT BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW; SO ASK THE MASTER OF THE HARVEST TO SEND OUT LABORERS FOR HIS HARVEST. GO ON YOUR WAY; BEHOLD, I AM SENDING YOU LIKE LAMBS AMONG WOLVES. CARRY NO MONEY BAG, NO SACK, NO SANDALS; AND GREET NO ONE ALONG THE WAY. INTO WHATEVER HOUSE YOU ENTER, FIRST SAY, PEACE TO THIS HOUSEHOLD. IF A PEACEFUL PERSON LIVES THERE, YOUR PEACE WILL REST ON HIM; BUT IF NOT, IT WILL RETURN TO YOU. STAY IN THE SAME HOUSE AND EAT AND DRINK WHAT IS OFFERED TO YOU, FOR THE LABORER DESERVES HIS PAY. DO NOT MOVE ABOUT FROM ONE HOUSE TO ANOTHER. WHATEVER TOWN YOU ENTER AND THEY WELCOME YOU, EAT WHAT IS SET BEFORE YOU, CURE THE SICK IN IT AND SAY TO THEM, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND FOR YOU. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ LAUS TIBI, CHRISTE ♪ >> THE LORD TELLS THE 72 AND OTHER DISCIPLES WHOM HE SENDS AHEAD OF HIM, HE SAYS YOUR MINISTRY IS NEEDED. THE HARVEST IS ABUNDANT AND THE LABORERS ARE FEW. GO ON YOUR WAY. BEHOLD I AM SENDING YOU LIKE LAMBS AMONG THE WOLVES. THAT IS THE ROUSING SPEECH BEFORE THE BATTLE. I AM SENDING YOU LIKE LAMBS BEFORE THE WOLVES. I THINK WHAT IT MEANS IS WE HAD BETTER BE AWARE OF THAT AND THAT WE HAD BETTER FIND OUR STRENGTH IN GOD. BECAUSE OURSELVES, WE ARE THE LAMBS, AND WE NEED A STRENGTH THAT IS MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE JUST IN OUR FRAIL, WEAK HUMANNESS NATURE. IT ALSO SUGGEST SACRIFICE THAT GOD IS GOING TO BUILD BRING OUT OF FRUITFULNESS FROM YOUR LIFE IN THE SACRIFICE. LAMBS WERE SACRIFICED FOR THE PASSOVER MEAL EVERY YEAR. THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF LAMBS. THEY WERE SACRIFICED IN THE TEMPLE. THAT IS THE IMAGE. WHEN YOU TELL A JEWISH PERSON AT THAT TIME THE LAMBS WERE SACRIFICIAL. SO IN CARRYING THE CROSS AND THE SACRIFICES WE MAKE AND LIVING OUT A LIFE OF LOVE WHICH INVOLVES SACRIFICE, GOD WILL STRENGTHEN US. HE WILL DRAW FRUITFULNESS FROM MY LIFE. THAT IS CERTAINLY TRUE OF THE SAINTS WE CELEBRATE TODAY. TIMOTHY AND TITUS. WE HAVE THEIR LETTERS PAUL'S LETTERS TO THEM IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. THERE WERE BISHOPS. TIMOTHY WAS IN EPHESUS. AND WE ARE TOLD IN HIS LETTERS THAT HE IS CLEARLY AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF PAUL'S MISSIONARY TEAM WE COULD SAY TRAVELING COMPANION. HE AND TITUS BOTH. TIMOTHY WAS FROM ASIA MINOR. HE HAD A JEWISH MOTHER, EUNICE, WHO IS NAMED IN THIS SECTION AND A GRANDMOTHER NAMED LOIS. THE IMPOSITION OF HANDS HE WAS MADE A BISHOP 6 NEW TESTAMENT LETTERS OF PAUL SIGNED HIM AS A COSIGNER SENDING A CO SENDER OF THIS LETTER TO THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES. SO AT TIMES HE IS TRAVELING WITH PAUL AND LATER HE IS ASSIGNED AT EPHESUS. HIS YOUTH IN SOME OF THESE LETTERS IS CITED AS A LIABILITY. HIS HEALTH IS UNSTABLE. HIS DISPOSITION APPARENTLY WAS TIMID AND UNASSERTIVE. YOU CAN TELL FROM THIS PASSAGE PAUL TELLS THEM TO STIR UP IN THE FLAME THE SPIRIT THAT WE ARE CALLED TO HAVE THIS SINCERE FAITH. THAT PAUL CLEARLY THOUGHT HIGHLY OF HIM AND CONSIDERED HIM A DEAR FRIEND. PAUL REFERS TO IN HIS LETTERS MANY COMPANIONS THAT DO DESSERT HIM. SO IT IS NOT JUST A CASE WHERE PAUL OBVIOUSLY IS A CHARISMATIC FIGURE AND A GREAT MISSIONARY BUT MANY PEOPLE LEFT HIM ALONG THE WAY BECAUSE THE GOING WAS TOUGH. IT WAS DIFFICULT. ST. MARK LEFT HIM FOR A WHILE LATER WAS REUNITED. ST. TITUS WAS A GENTILE BELIEVER AND WORK CLOSELY WITH PAUL AND THE BISHOP IN CRETE WHICH WAS AN EXTREMELY SECULARIZED VERY A PLACE LADEN WITH VICE. EVEN CITED IN GREEK LITERATURE AS A PLACE OF UNTRUTHFULNESS AND DECEPTION. SO TITUS IS SENT THERE TO CONVERT THE ISLAND OF CRETE. THESE GUYS HAD BIG CHALLENGES. BEYOND THEIR HUMAN STRENGTH. SO IN THIS PASSAGE FROM 2ND TIMOTHY PAUL RECALLS TIMOTHY'S SINCERE FAITH WHICH 1ST LIVED IN HIS MOTHER EUNICE AND GRANDMOTHER LOIS. I AM CONFIDENT HE SAYS IT LIVES ALSO IN YOU. THE SINCERE FAITH AT IS APPARENTLY GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS PARENTS. THIS IS SO TRUE FOR ALL OF US IS IT NOT? WE ARE HANDED THE FAITH LARGELY I THINK BY OUR FAMILY. NOT IN EVERY CASE BUT OUR FAMILY HAS SUCH A VITAL IMPORTANT ROLE IN PASSING ON THE FAITH THAT WE CAN LOOK TO OUR FAMILY, OUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AND SISTERS, WHO PRACTICE THE FAITH AND WE HAVE THAT SAME FAITH. PAUL IS PRIMARILY REFERRING TO HIS FAITH THAT WAS GIVEN TO HIM THROUGH THE IMPOSITION OF HANDS. THAT HE IS A BISHOP. TIMOTHY CALLED TO LEAD THE CHURCH. HE HAS THESE GREAT CHALLENGES. CHALLENGES TO SOUND DOCTRINE. HE HAS TO GUARD THE GOSPEL. THAT IS A GREAT THING FOR PAUL. HE IS CALLED TO EVANGELIZE. THERE ARE MANY CONTROVERSIES OF AND QUARRELS AND PERSECUTIONS. THIS IS ALL IN THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS WERE TIMOTHY EVENTUALLY WOULD BE BISHOP. BUT PAUL TELLS HIM TO STIR INTO FLAME THE GIFT OF GOD THROUGH THE IMPOSITION OF HANDS. THAT IS REFERRING TO HIS ORDINATION BUT IT IS TRUE FOR ALL OF US IN BAPTISM THAT WE ARE GIVEN FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE. THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES OF. WE ARE MADE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THESE ARE NATURAL VIRTUES. ALL THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THAT IS TRUE FOR ALL OF US. THAT THIS FAITH WITNESSED TO AND PASSED ON BY OUR FAMILIES IS ALSO PLACED IN US TO THE SACRAMENTS. AND THE LAITY AS JOHN PAUL II REMINDED US IS ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE CHURCH. ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE CHURCH. YOU ARE IN THE CULTURE. AND YOU ARE IN THAT CULTURE AND YOU ARE CALLED TO TRANSFORM IT. YOU'RE CALLED TO WITNESS TO CHRIST. YOU ARE CALLED TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM. THOSE ARE GREAT CHALLENGES TODAY AND PROBABLY AND EVERY TIME. THERE MANY TEMPTATIONS. THAT ARE THERE TO LEAD US INTO SIN TO DISCOURAGE US. MANY DISTRACTIONS. WE HAVE A CULTURE OF BUSYNESS AND DOING THINGS AND HAVING MORE. IF WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO DO MORE AND HAVE MORE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH TIME FOR THE GOSPEL WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH TIME FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE. AND AT TIMES GROWING OPPOSITION. JUST STRAIGHT UP OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL. PAUL'S ADVICE IS TO STIR UP INTO FLAME THIS GIFT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN. AND HE SAID THE GIFT OF GOD THAT YOU HAVE THROUGH THE IMPOSITION OF HANDS. THIS GREAT GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THIS GREAT GIFT OF FAITH TO STIR INTO FLAME. FOR ME IT BRINGS UP AN IMAGE OF BLOWING ON THE COALS OF A FIRE. IF YOU HAVE SOME COALS AND YOU BLOW ONTO IT AND IT WILL CATCH FIRE. AND WE MUST HAVE A DEVOTION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. TO CALL THAT POWER OF GOD INTO OUR LIVES. SO THE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES WE DO ARE AWAY OF ORIENTING US BACK TO GOD TO RECEIVE THIS GIFT IN A FULLER WAY. WE THINK OF EARTH SACRAMENTAL LIFE ESPECIALLY THE EUCHARIST. COMING TO MASS. CONFESSING OUR SINS. A DAILY PRAYER LIFE. DEVOTION TO MARY. TO THE ROSARY. SERVICE THE ACTS OF SERVICE. IT KEEPS US FOCUSED ON THE GOSPEL. LIVING A LIFE OF CHARITY AND SERVICE TOWARDS OTHERS. SPIRITUAL READING. IT CAN HELP US JUST STIR INTO FLAME. THE FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS. I THINK THAT IS SO CRITICAL TODAY. NOT JUST TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP AT MASS SUNDAY MASS. BUT TO BE CONNECTED TO OTHER DEVOUT CHRISTIANS IN OUR LIFE. THEY CAN SHARE THEIR STRUGGLE WITH YOU AND YOU SHARE YOUR STRUGGLE WITH THEM. THAT CAN BE A GREAT SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT. THAT WE NEED THAT KIND OF BOND WITH EACH OTHER. MAYBE TO HELP PICK US UP WHEN WE HAVE FALLEN. MAYBE WHEN WE ARE DISCOURAGED. MAYBE WE NEED A WORD OF CORRECTION. OR A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT. WE NEED THAT WITNESS OF OTHERS. PAUL IS SAYING THIS SPIRIT IS NOT 1 OF COWARDICE BUT OF POWER AND SELF CONTROL. RATHER A POWER AND SELF CONTROL. WE KNOW THAT 1 OF THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS FORTITUDE AND COURAGE. WE NEED TO ASK FOR IT. WE ARE TO LIVE A LIFE OF SELF CONTROL AND TEMPERANCE. I WAS RECENTLY READING ARISTOTLE'S SUMMARY OF ARISTOTLE'S TEACHING ON VIRTUE. HE SAID THAT EXCELLENCE OF CHARACTER VIRTUE IS THROUGH REPEATED ACTS. HE CALLS THEM HABITS. BECAUSE WE KEEP REPEATING THEM. WE DEVELOP THIS IN OUR LIFE SO THAT TAKES MAYBE TIME AND EFFORT AND AS CHRISTIANS GOD'S GRACE. WE CONFESS OUR SINS AND BEGIN AGAIN. BUT IT CAN BE A CASE WHERE WE GET DISCOURAGED THROUGH REPEATED FALLS BUT WE GET UP AND REPEAT THE GOOD STUFF. GOD CAN USE EVEN THE FALL IN OUR LIFE TO HUMBLE US MAYBE TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE MISTRUST IN OURSELVES AND TURN TO GOD WITH GREATER FAITH. THIS GIFT OF GOD THE SPIRIT OF GOD THAT WE NEED TO STIR UP INTO FLAME, I THINK IN OUR FAITH IT TEACHES US THAT THIS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MAKE US HOLY. IT IS A TRICK OF THE EVIL ONE SAYING IT IS JUST TOO MUCH AND TOO HARD. THAT HOLINESS IS NOT POSSIBLE. THAT IS WHERE THE POWER OF THE WITNESS OF THE SAINTS OR JUST MAY BE PEOPLE YOU KNOW IN YOUR LIFE THAT ARE LIVING A BEAUTIFUL DEVOUT LIFE, WE CAN TAKE THAT WITNESS FROM THEM AND SAY THIS IS POSSIBLE. HAVE THAT CONFIDENCE IN GOD. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE OF MY OWN FLESH BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD. AND THEN PAUL SAYS BEAR YOUR SHARE OF HARDSHIP FOR THE GOSPEL WITH THE STRENGTH THAT COMES FROM GOD. BEAR YOUR SHARE OF HARDSHIP FOR THE GOSPEL. HE IS SPEAKING OF EVANGELIZING AND WITNESSING BUT I THINK THE SAME IS SAID OF FOR US TO LIVE THE GOSPEL PERSONALLY, TO LIVE OUT GOD'S PLAN IN OUR LIFE. WE ARE TO BEAR THAT WITH STRENGTH THAT COMES FROM GOD. THERE ARE GOING TO BE DIFFICULTIES AND HARDSHIPS HE SAYS, STRUGGLES, THE CROSS, I THINK MAYBE IN TALKING ABOUT EUNICE AND LOIS HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER MAY BE HE IS IMPLYING TO LOOK AT THEM. THEY HAD THEIR STRUGGLES ALSO. WE CAN LOOK AT OUR OWN FAMILIES. AND SEE STRUGGLES IN THE ONES WHO WENT BEFORE US AND WHAT THEY HAD. WE ARE IN THE SAME BOAT AND WE CAN TAKE COURAGE FROM PEOPLE AROUND US AND FROM WHAT THEY HAVE DONE ESPECIALLY IN OUR FAMILIES. FATHER JOSEPH A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO RECENTLY TOLD A BEAUTIFUL STORY ABOUT MOTHER AGNES I THINK FROM THE SISTERS. THE SISTERS OF LIFE. AND HER MOTHER WAS HER NATURAL MOTHER HAD THIS TERRIBLE ILLNESS. AND SOLANUS CASEY ASKED HER, IS THIS TOO MUCH FOR GOD TO ASK OF YOU? IS THIS TOO MUCH FOR GOD TO ASK? THAT IS SUCH A POWERFUL QUESTION. AT TIMES WE CAN SAY THAT TO GOD, WHY ME? WHY ME? THIS IS TOO MUCH. BUT I THINK IF WE PONDER IT A MOMENT AND LOOK AT WHAT OUR SAVIOR HAS DONE FOR US, SCOURGED, MOCKED AND HUMILIATED, CRUCIFIED. BECAME 1 OF US. AND HE LIVED A LIFE WITHOUT A HOME WITHOUT A PLACE TO LAY HIS HEAD, HE LABORED FOR US. AND BORE OUR WEAKNESSES. WE SEE HIS PATIENCE WITH US. WE SEE HIS PATIENCE WITH THE APOSTLE. IS IT TOO MUCH FOR US TO BEAR OUR SHARE? MAYBE FOR SOME OF US WE CAN EVEN LOOK AT OUR SINS. AND SAY I DESERVE THIS REALLY. I DESERVE MUCH WORSE THAN THIS. I REPENTED OF MY SINS BUT IS THERE NO PENANCE THAT I NEED TO DO THAT I CAN OFFER IT UP TO GOD? THERESE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH HER FAULTS IN HER CHARACTER OR SOMETHING SHE DID SOMETHING THAT FOSTERED SOME KIND OF ATTACHMENT IN HER AND THEN THE STRUGGLE OF THE DETACHMENT. SHE WOULD OFFER THAT UP. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS A CONSEQUENCE OF HER ATTACHMENT WHATEVER THAT WAS WHICH WAS PROBABLY PRETTY MINOR. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR SINS WE CAN OFFER UP THE HARDSHIPS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FOR OUR LIFE. BECAUSE IN AREAS THAT WE HAVE FAILED THE LORD. I THINK THE MESSAGE IS THAT YES THERE IS GREAT CHALLENGES TO LIVING THE GOSPEL TO PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL BUT THAT SPIRIT OF GOD IS WITHIN US AND WE STIR IT UP AND HE CAN MAKE IT POSSIBLE. HE CAN OVERCOME OUR WEAKNESS AND SIN AND BRING ABOUT A BEAUTIFUL FRUITFULNESS OUT OF OUR LIVES.
