Homily: January 26 - Saints Timothy and Titus - Co-workers in the Lord's Vineyard

Following the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul yesterday, today we commemorate two of Paul’s close co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord.

St. Paul is certainly the Apostle par excellence, founder and pastor of many Churches.  Yet it is clear that he did not do everything on his own.  He relied on trustworthy people who shared his endeavors and responsibilities.

Timothy was Paul’s number one collaborator and dearest disciple.  When Paul was passing through Lystra at the beginning of his second missionary journey, he chose Timothy, whose name in Greek means “he who honors God”.  And truly he did bring honor to God through pouring himself out in service to the Church.  He was accompanied Paul and Silas through bandit-ridden highlands, and was even sent out by Paul on two important missions: one to Thessalonica, the other to Corinth.  The Church historian Eusebius tells us that Timothy was made the first bishop of Ephesus. 

Since in his Letter to Timothy, St. Paul tells him to “stop drinking only water, but have a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” Timothy is invoked as the patron saint of those with stomach ailments.

Titus, accompanied Paul to the Council of Jerusalem and was also sent to Corinth with the task of bringing  that unmanageable community to obedience. From Corinth, Paul gave him the mission of taking up a special collection for the poor Christians of Jerusalem.  In the Pastoral Letters addressed to him, we read how Titus is Bishop of Crete when Paul calls him to Nicopolis, and later to Dalmatia. 

Though the New Testament Letters addressed to Timothy and Titus contain a lot of directions about naming bishops and presybters and organizing the community, they are still rich sources of Christian spirituality and practical wisdom.   They also provide a glimpse into the life of the early Church.

The sources concerning both Timothy and Titus highlight their readiness to assisting St. Paul in the spread of the Gospel, taking on various offices and responsibilities that were far from easy.  In serving the Gospel with such generosity they are examples for us all.

God granted these men with apostolic virtues of courage, perseverance, generosity, through their intercession may we use the gifts God has given us for the building up of the Church, the passing on of the faith for the glory of God and salvation of souls.