Reading I
2 Tm 1:1-8 or Ti 1:1-5
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.
Gospel Reading
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.”
Meditation: Mark 3:31-35
Sts. Timothy and Titus
Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. (Mark 3:34-35)
What an amazing thing for Jesus to say! He called ordinary, everyday people—sinners just like us—his brothers and sisters. Who were these folks? Regular people who came to him and who chose to do his Father’s will. That’s all it took for them to enter into this privileged relationship with him.
It’s true! Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, has chosen to be your brother. He actually wants the easy nearness of a beloved brother or sister, mutually sharing confidences and understanding. He wants a relationship marked by peace and contentment and acceptance.
Though our human experience of brotherhood or sisterhood might be marred by hurts, anger, or bitterness, the relationship Jesus offers is perfect. All he asks is that you open your heart to him and try your best to follow his ways. It’s that simple. Do this, and you will experience him sharing his heart with you and letting you in on his thoughts and plans. No one is too insignificant, no one is too sinful to become a part of his family. Prostitutes, tax cheats, and sinners of all kinds found him, and you can too.
Today is the feast of Timothy and Titus, two of St. Paul’s most loyal companions. What must their lives have been like as they traveled with Paul? Surely there were challenges, heartbreaks, and enemies to be faced. And when they separated from Paul to lead their own churches, the challenges only increased. How much more did they rely on Jesus as their brother then—and how much more did he work through them for the sake of the people entrusted to them. May we all follow their example and come to Jesus as our beloved brother!
“Jesus, here I am. I want to hear what you will say to me today. You have said that everything that is the Father’s is yours, and that you will share it with us. You hear every word of my mouth; now open my ears to hear your words to me. Open my heart and mind to receive what you offer today!
“Jesus, my brother, I come to you today to sit quietly with you and enjoy your presence.”
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