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Paul regarded Timothy and Titus as his true children in the faith. He experienced what Jesus described when he said that, "whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” When we talk about our family of faith it tends to sound trite and insincere. When we talk about brothers and sisters in the faith the experience to which we refer does not often approach the level of the bond that those in the early Church shared. We have priests that we regard as spiritual fathers, but it is typically more lip service and routine than anything more profound.
The first lesson of Timothy and Titus, before anything Paul said to them, or anything they themselves did, is that this relationship, this new supernatural sense of family is meant to be a real and concrete reality that defines the Church.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (see Romans 8:29).
A second lesson that can help us attain the reality of the first is that the gifts we have been given by the Lord need attention if they are to bear fruit. If we neglect them they languish.
For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
Timothy was called to stir into flame the gift of his ordination. This meant something more than merely adding fuel. He was called to get in and move the embers around until something happened and sparks kindled the flames of the gift. We have been given the gifts of baptism, confirmation, the other sacraments, as well as other particular graces. We neglect them at our peril. Without them we lack the divine flame that is meant to power our lives as Christians. Without them we do tend to fall back into "a spirit of cowardice" rather than the "power and love and self-control" in which the Lord desires us to walk.
For this grace it is in our power to kindle or to extinguish; wherefore he elsewhere says, Quench not the Spirit. For by sloth and carelessness it is quenched, and by watchfulness and diligence it is kept alive.- Saint John Chrysostom
If we take Paul's advice and fan our own gifts into flames we too will be empowered to bear our share of hardship for the Gospel. That may not sound immediately appealing, but it is assuredly better than attempting to bear them without that power, which is the alternative. The world will try to make us ashamed of our testimony to the Lord, but if we stand in the strength that comes from God, the world will be unable to do so.
Like Titus, there is still a task before us that remains to be done. There is still plenty in our own spheres of influence that we can help to set right. All of the possibilities of the corporeal and spiritual works of mercy are open to us. Though probably no readers of this reflection will be appointing presbyters in the near future there are still ways in which we can do our part to build up the Church. This is not arrogance or Pelagianism. It is entirely based on the gift we have been given. But it only works if we fan the flames.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
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