Churches of the Day

01-26 Ss Timothy and Titus, bishops, Memorial
Instructions for the disciples of Jesus

Saints of the Day: 26 Jan; Ss Timothy and Titus were disciples and co-workers with St Paul .
Paul sent Timothy in the church at Ephesus and Titus at Crete.
C/f A short life of this saint can be found below todays' Readings and Reflection.

FIRST READING            

A reading from the second letter of St Paul to Timothy            1:1-8
I am reminded of the sincere faith which you have. 

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus in his design to promise life in Christ Jesus; to Timothy, dear child of mine, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

Night and day I thank God, keeping my conscience clear and remembering my duty to him as my ancestors did, and always I remember you in my prayers; I remember your tears and long to see you again to complete my happiness. Then I am reminded of the sincere faith which you have; it came first to live in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I have no doubt that it is the same faith in you as well.

That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God's gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.

The Word of the Lord.      Thanks be to God


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Alternative FIRST READING      

 A reading from the letter of St Paul to Titus           1:1-5
To Titus, true child of mine in the faith that we share.

From Paul, servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ to bring those whom God has chosen to faith and to the knowledge of the truth that leads to true religion; and to give them the hope of the eternal life that was promised so long ago by God. He does not lie and so, at the appointed time, he revealed his decision, and, by the command of God our saviour, I have been commissioned to proclaim it.
To Titus, true child of mine in the faith that we share, wishing you grace and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our saviour.

The reason I left you behind in Crete was for you to get everything organised there and appoint elders in every town, in the way that I told you.

The Word of the Lord.     Thanks be to God
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Responsorial Psalm   Ps 95:1-3. 7-8.10 Rv v.3
Response                        Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

1. O sing a new song to the Lord, sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.               Response

2. Proclaim his help day by day, tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.     Response

3. Give the Lord, you families of peoples, give the Lord glory and power,
give the Lord the glory of his name.             Response

4. Proclaim to the nations: 'God is king.' The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.           Response

Gospel  Acclamation  Jn 15: 16
Alleluia,   alleluia!
The Lord has sent me to bring the Good News to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL                       

The Lord be with you.                    And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke   10:1-9      Glory to you, O Lord
The harvest is rich but the labourers are few.

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them,
'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.

Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road.
Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, "Peace to this house!" And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you.
Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house.

Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you.
Cure those in it who are sick, and say, "The kingdom of God is very near to you".

The Gospel of the Lord.           Glory to you, O Lord


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 Gospel Reflection      Friday Jan. 26th         Luke 10:1-9

I celebrated Mass in one of the parish primary schools, to which the grandparents of the pupils had been invited. There is a reference to a grandmother in today’s first reading. Paul is writing to his closest co-worker, Timothy. He tells Timothy that he is always being reminded of the sincere faith which he has, and Paul goes on to acknowledge that Timothy’s faith came first to live in his grandmother Lois, and then in his mother Eunice. We can all look back to the faith of our grandparents and, perhaps, to our parents as well. Grandparents continue to have a very important role today in passing on the faith to their grandchildren. They often do this by praying for their grandchildren, praying with them, taking them to church and pointing out the various images and symbols in the church and explaining their meaning. Grandparents are so often among the labourers in the harvest that Jesus mentions in the gospel reading.

As he sends out the seventy two labourers, he calls on them to keep praying to God to send more labourers into the harvest. We are all called to be labourers in the Lord’s harvest, in virtue of our baptism. The Lord needs each one of us to witness to him and his gospel in our world today. Timothy and Titus were co-workers of Paul. He had many other co-workers, woman as well as men. Paul knew that the Lord’s work could not get done without all these co-workers. The Lord’s need is as great today as it was at the beginning of the church, in the time of Paul. He needs every one of us to be a labourer in his harvest, just as he needed the seventy two and many more. The harvest of the Lord remains rich and the Lord needs all the co-workers he can get. We need to all work together to ensure that people today hear and experience the same good news that the seventy two were called by Jesus to preach, ‘The kingdom of God is very near to you’.

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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. and used with the permission of the publishers.  http://dltbooks.com/
The Scripture Reflection is made available with our thanks from his book Reflections on the Weekday Readings : The Word is near to you, on your lips and in your heart by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications, c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/

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Saints of the Day: 26 Jan; Ss Timothy and Titus were disciples and co-workers with St Paul

Timothy and Titus, bishops, two of  St Paul's most loyal disciples seem to have attended the Council of Jerusalem with him and both died toward the end of the first century.
Timothy represented Saint Paul to various communities and, according to tradition, was eventually placed him in charge of the Church at Ephesus.
Titus was sent to organise the Church in Crete. They are honoured as leaders to whom St Paul sent pastoral letters in the New Testament.


Patrick Duffy traces what is known about them.

TITUS 

At the Council of Jerusalem
Although not mentioned by name in the Acts of the Apostles, Titus was recruited by Paul quite early on as a companion and was the occasion of controversy at the Council of Jerusalem. Since he was a Gentile, there was pressure from the hard-line Jewish party on Paul to have him circumcised. However, Paul firmly resisted this and eventually his view prevailed.

According to tradition, Titus journeyed to Jerusalem and witnessed the preaching of Christ during the Lord’s ministry on earth. Only later, however – after the conversion of St. Paul and the beginning of his ministry – did Titus receive baptism from the apostle, who called the pagan convert his “true child in our common faith.”

Corinth
Titus appears again in Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor 2:13, 7:13 and 8:6): he was probably the bearer of an angry letter from Paul to the Corinthians, but he acted quite successfully as Paul's ambassador in Corinth in rather difficult circumstances, sorting out disputes in the Corinthian church and organising a collection for Jerusalem.

Crete and Dalmatia
Paul sent a letter to Titus whom he left in Crete (Tit 1:5; See Acts 24:7-12). The letter gives him instructions to ordain "elders" and control the Cretans, of whom Paul did not have a very high opinion (Tit 1:12). In 2 Tim 4:10 Paul says Titus had gone on a mission to Dalmatia and he is especially venerated in Croatia.

Influence
Later tradition venerated Titus as the first bishop of the Cretan city of Gortyna. In 1966 the head of Titus was returned from Venice where it had been venerated at St Mark's since the 9th century to the church of St Titus at Heraklion in Crete.

 TIMOTHY

From Lystra in Asia Minor
Paul took Timothy on as an apostolic travelling companion probably on the occasion of his second visit to Timothy's home town of Lystra. The Christian community spoke well of him. His mother was a Jewess, who had converted to Christianity, but his father was a Greek. Contrary to his stance in the case of Titus, Paul had Timothy circumcised "on account of the Jews in the locality".

Paul's companion to Macedonia and Greece
Timothy travelled with Paul and Silas to Macedonia and through Greece to Corinth, working with Paul and Silas to set up the churches in Corinth, Thessalonica and Philippi. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul commends Timothy to them as a faithful co-worker (1 Cor 4:17; 16:10).

At Ephesus
Timothy later accompanied Paul to Ephesus in Asia Minor (Acts 19:2, 1 Cor 16:10-11). As the presence of his name in the first verses of various epistles indicates (2 Corinthians, Colossians, Philemon and Philippians), he was closely associated with Paul in all his work and probably with his imprisonment in Ephesus.

In the Pastoral Letters Timothy is the one in charge of the church at Ephesus. Paul calls him "my true son in the faith" (1 Tim 1:2). Paul is concerned about his health and writes: "You should give up drinking only water and have a little wine for the sake of your digestion and the frequent bouts of illness that you have."

Paul's Last Letter
In his last letter probably written just before his death, Paul reminisces about Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice whom Paul would have met when he first took on Timothy as a companion at Lystra (2 Tim 1:5).

Relics
In the 4th century, Timothy's relics were transferred to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, which since 1461 has been replaced by the Fatih Mosque.

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Memorable Saying for today

True friends are never apart, Maybe in distance but never in heart.

~ Author Unknown ~

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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Jesus revealed  the Beatitudes himself as his and his Father's, secret of happiness.
Jesus invites us to watch they was lived out in his life.

Saint of the Day, in Ireland, Feb 1 St Brigid, Abbess, Secondary Patron of Ireland
C/f A short life of this saint can be found below todays' Readings and Reflection.

FIRST  READING

A reading from the book of the Prophet Zephaniah     2:3. 3:12-13
 In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people.

Seek the Lord, all you, the humble of the earth, who obey his commands.
Seek integrity, seek humility:  you may perhaps find shelter
on the day of the anger of the Lord.

In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths.
But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.

The Word of the Lord        Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm    Ps 145: 7-10 R/v Mat 5:3
Response                          How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1. It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free.                     Response

2. It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger and upholds the widow and orphan.              Response

3. It is the Lord who loves the just but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever, Zion's God, from age to age.                             Response

SECOND READING  

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians  1:26-31
God chose what is foolish by human reckoning.

Take yourselves, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families? No, it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen - those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything.

The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you, God have made members of Christ Jesus and by God's doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom.
As scripture says: 'If anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.'

The Word of the Lord                 Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation            Mt 11:25
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children.
Alleluia!

or                                          Mt 5: 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad: your reward will be great in Heaven.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL 

The Lord be with you.                    And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew     5:1-12       Glory to you, O Lord
'How happy are the poor in spirit.

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples.
Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

'How blessed are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.
Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

'Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.

The Gospel of the Lord    Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.



The scripture readings are taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with permission of the publishers.

For homily resources for this Sunday's Gospel click here:  https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/

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Saint of the Day, Feb 1 St Brigid, Abbess, Secondary Patron of Ireland
C/f A short life of this saint can be found below todays' Readings and Reflection.

Bridget patroness of those who have a care for the earth, for justice, equality and peace and also model for contemplative prayer.

Brigidine Sister Rita Minehan profiles St Brigid here as a model for contemplative prayer.

A great resurgence of interest in all aspects of our Celtic heritage is leading many individuals and groups to rediscover - and draw inspiration from - the lives of the early Irish saints. St Brigid, the patroness of Ireland, is emerging as one whose life has relevance and inspiration for us as we try to face the issues that confront our country and our world at this time. When we look at the life of Brigid and at some of these issues we can see more clearly why she continues to be relevant to us today. (The image left is of Brigid with lepers,  taken from  the mosaic in Armagh Cathedral.)

Carer of the Earth
The feast of St Brigid on the 1st of February is a celebration of the wonderful springing back of the earth from its winter sleep. It is the season when we celebrate new beginnings and new life on earth. The sod is turned. The day lengthens. Seeds are sown and sails are hoisted.

Many of the stories about Brigid tell of her milking the cows, churning the milk, making up the firkins of butter, shepherding her flocks of sheep, helping with the harvest and even brewing the ale! Brigid, in keeping with her Celtic traditions, was wonderfully attuned to the seasons and cycles of nature. She valued the elements of nature: earth, air, fire and water.

Light the Fire


Today, we are becoming more aware of the fragility of our planet. Lands are becoming barren, skies fouled, waters poisoned. Many individuals and groups concerned about the environment draw inspiration from the reverence and respect which Brigid had for the land. She is often referred to as the' Saint of Agriculture.' In a new hymn, composed by Fr Liam Lawton, Brigid is invoked 'to heal our wounds and green our earth again.'

"A Life of Brigid" (Vita Brigitae), composed by Cogitosus about 650 AD,  places great emphasis on Brigid's faith, her healing powers, her hospitality, her generosity, her great skill with animals, and her compassion for the poor and the oppressed. Twenty three of the thirty two chapters tell of her extraordinary concern for the poor. One of the Brigidine legends illustrates this very effectively.

Woman of Compassion
One day when Brigid was on a long journey she stopped to rest by the wayside. A rich lady heard about this and brought her a beautiful basket of choice apples. No sooner had she received them than a group of very poor people came by and begged her for food. Without a moment's hesitation, Brigid gave them the choice apples. The rich lady was utterly disgusted and she complained to Brigid, "I brought those apples for you, not for them." Brigid's reply was: "What is mine is theirs." This Brigidine legend poses a challenge to all of us in terms of our world today, where forty-five thousand people die from hunger and hunger-related diseases every day and where twenty percent of the population own and consume about eighty percent of the earth's resources. The poverty gap continues to widen both within and between countries, as the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer. This legend challenges us to work for a more equitable distribution of the world's resources.

Model of Equality
It is generally accepted that Brigid established her abbey and church in Kildare around 480 AD, on the site now occupied by St Brigid's Cathedral. Brigid held a unique position in the Irish Church and society of her day. As Abbess, she presided over the local Church of Kildare and was leader of a double monastery for men and women.

Tradition suggests that she invited Conleth, a hermit from Old Connell near Newbridge, to assist her in Kildare. Cogitosus tells us that 'they governed their Church by means of a mutually happy alliance.'

What emerges from many of these stories and legends about Brigid is the portrait of a strong and gentle woman, a powerful leader, a good organiser, a skillful healer and a wise spiritual guide. Brigid has become - for men as well as women - a potent symbol of Christian womanhood, showing us in so many different ways the feminine face of God.

Woman of Peace
There was no lack of domestic strife in the Ireland of Brigid's day, where feuds between clans were commonplace. She is often depicted as a peacemaker who intervened in disputes between rival factions and brought healing and reconciliation. Folklorists tell us that in some parts of Ireland a St Brigid's cross was often used as a token of goodwill between neighbours, indicating a desire for peace and friendship after a local quarrel.

One of the best-known stories associated with St Brigid is that of her giving away her father's precious sword to a poor man so that he could barter it for food to feed his family. Thus, a sword, a weapon of war, was transformed into a life-giving instrument. This story offers an important lesson for our world today where every minute thirteen million pounds is being spent on weapons of war. One wonders what links Brigid would make today between the massive expenditure on arms and the welfare of the poor people of the world?

Woman of Contemplation
Brigid emerges as a woman of action in the stories, legends and poems about her. If one, however, were to seek the source from which she drew her strength and energy, one could probably find the answer in this story.

One day, St Brendan the Navigator stood on a cliff top and watched two whales engaging in fierce combat. Suddenly, the smaller whale, in a human voice, cried out for help not to Brendan but to Brigid, who was not even present. The cry was answered immediately, and the combat ceased. Brendan was puzzled as to why he had been ignored. 'Do you always think about God?' asked Brigid, when the two met. 'Yes,' replied Brendan, 'except at times when my boat is caught in a storm at sea and I have to concentrate on keeping it afloat.' 'That's the explanation,' Brigid answered. 'From the moment I first knew God I have never let him out of my mind, and I never shall.'

An old Irish poem, written in the seventh century, speaks of her contemplation of the Trinity:

Deeper than the seas,
Greater than words can express,
Three persons in one only God;
Overflowing with wonder.'

Woman of Inspiration
Even today, poets, writers and artists still find inspiration in the symbols, customs and folklore surrounding Brigid. One writer recently referred to her as 'the woman who, above all others, embodies the spirit of pre-Christian and Christian Ireland'.

In a beautiful leadlight window in Kildare College Chapel, Holden Hill, South Australia, the artist depicts Brigid dancing the dance of the new life of creation, carrying the Spirit of Jesus into the twenty-first century.

Many of the values associated with Brigid are captured in this delightful poem:
Lady, from winters dark,
Star of Imbolc, rise!
Dance around our threshold,
Scattering warm laughter,
Seeds of hospitality,
Tolerance, forgiveness!
Return again to the folk;
You the spring we yearn for!

What a lovely image to carry with us into the future!

This article first appeared in The Messenger (February 2002), a publication of the Irish Jesuits. c/f  c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/

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Memorable Irish Proverbs for today

I should like a great lake of ale, for the King of Kings.
I should like the family of heaven to be drinking it through time eternal.