Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops

LECTIONARY
520

FIRST READING

2 Tim 1:1-8

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved 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—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God.

PSALM

96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

Response: 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.

Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

Give to the Lord, you families of nations,
give to the Lord glory and praise;
give to the Lord the glory due his name!

Say among the nations: The Lord is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.

GOSPEL

Lk 10:1-9

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Daily Reflection

Timothy and Titus, the saints we honour today, worked alongside St Paul, sometimes as interpreters or as secretaries; at times going ahead of Paul to prepare the people or remaining behind to further catechize and confirm the new converts.

Timothy, a native of Lystra in Turkey, was a Gentile in his early teens when he heard about Jesus during Paul’s first missionary journey. During his next visit, Paul was so impressed with Timothy’s virtue and zeal that he adopted him as his missionary companion. Later, Timothy was consecrated bishop and had to counter several Gnostic heresies, as we learn from Paul’s letter to him.

Titus, a Gentile, who was also consecrated bishop, assisted Paul in settling internal dissensions in the Church and arranging for alms for the poor in Jerusalem.

May we each discover and fulfill the specific task to which the Lord calls us.