Homily for Saturday 26th January 2019
_“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 timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control. Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord.” *(2 Timothy 1:6-8)*_
Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of the conversion of St. Paul. Today we are celebrating the memorial of two bishops who were spiritual sons of St. Paul. The work of ministry is so large that no one person can do it all by himself or herself. Any success without a successor is a failure waiting to happen in the future.
Whatever it is that you are good at, bear in mind that you will not have the strength to remain good at it forever. Teach others, pass on the knowledge. Become a mentor to the young. Raise up leaders. This is what St. Paul did with Timothy, Titus, Luke and so many others who eventually carried on the work from where he left it.
Consider the fact that in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus and his disciples were so busy that they could not even eat. The work of God is really enormous. The harvest is ever rich but the labourers are not enough. This is why we must teach the young and encourage them.
Being a mentor is more than just assisting young people financially. It is in fact, first and foremost, being able to tell young people the truth; not the type they like to hear but one that would serve as medicine for them. An example of this is what we read in today’s first reading.
St. Paul warns Timothy against the spirit of timidity (shyness) with regard to the work of God. Bear in mind that timidity is not the same as humility. There is a whole world of difference between the two. Timidity is not a virtue. Timidity prevents us from using our spiritual gifts, it kills our faith and makes us think we are useless and empty.
Dear friends, if we don’t believe in ourselves, how do we convince the world that we are lights? Why are we timid about our faith in a world that people are not afraid of going out on the street to proclaim their immoral behaviours?
As St. Paul advises Timothy, the cure for spiritual timidity is REKINDLING THE GIFT OF GOD IN YOU; that is, fanning God’s Spirit into flames within you. The best way to revive your gifts is to start using them once again.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, renew my anointing every day. Amen
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Feast of St. Timothy and Titus. Bible Study: 2nd Timothy 1:1-8, Psalm 96, and Mark 3:20-21).
No comments:
Post a Comment