The Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. How unceasing is my memory of you in my petitions, night and day longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy; having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.
For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. Therefore don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,
Sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord! Bless his name! Proclaim his salvation from day to day!
Sing to the Lord! Bless his name! Proclaim his salvation from day to day! Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples.
Ascribe to the Lord, you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come into his courts.
Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns." The world is also established. It can't be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.
The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul,"and, "By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons."
He summoned them and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can't stand, but has an end. But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then he will plunder his house.
"Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme; but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation." — because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."
Saints Timothy and Titus were Paul's trusted companions and fellow bishops, young men who carried the Gospel forward with courage despite facing significant opposition. Their feast reminds us that faith often passes through generations and relationships.
What strikes me most about Paul's letter to Timothy is how deeply personal it becomes. Paul remembers Timothy's tears, speaks of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice, and recalls the moment he laid hands on this young man. There's something beautiful about how faith travels through families and friendships - not just as ideas, but as lived experience passed from heart to heart.
Paul tells Timothy not to be ashamed and to "stir up the gift" within him. I find myself thinking about those moments when we feel called to speak up for what's right, to defend someone being mistreated, or to share our faith naturally in conversation. That little flutter of nervousness we feel? Paul acknowledges it, but reminds us that God gives us power, love, and self-control - not a spirit of fear.
The Gospel shows us the flip side of this courage. When the scribes accuse Jesus of casting out demons by Satan's power, they're so committed to their opposition that they can't recognize obvious good. Jesus points out the absurdity - why would evil destroy itself?
This makes me think about our own ability to recognize grace when we see it. Sometimes we're so invested in our positions, our comfort zones, or our skepticism that we miss the Holy Spirit's movement right in front of us. Other times, like Timothy, we might see it clearly but need courage to respond.
How might you "stir up the gift" that God has placed within you today? When have you been too quick to dismiss something good because it challenged your expectations?