January 26 2022 - Sts. Timothy & Titus - Coworkers in the 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: Timothy and Titus.  

Sometimes, when we think of St. Paul, we think of him single-handedly converting Asia Minor and Greece, but not so. Paul had friends, coworkers, companions. 

On his second missionary journey, Paul recruited young Timothy, from his native town of Lystra in Asia Minor. Timothy accompanied Paul, and was trained by him. Paul sent Timothy on two important missions of his own, one to Thessalonica, another to Corinth. Timothy stayed with Paul in prison. Paul also mentions Timothy as cosender of six of his letters: I & II Thessolonians, II Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon, and Colossians. 

When Paul writes to Timothy, he writes as a spiritual father to a spiritual son, yes, one having superior experience and wisdom, but also as a brother and collaborator in the vineyard of the Lord.

Titus was a gentile disciple and close friend of Paul, also accompanying and assisting Paul in his missionary activity.  Titus was with Paul at the Council of Jerusalem, and when Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth because of community division, erroneous faith and rampant immorality, Paul sent Titus bearing his letter to the Corinthians, and Titus embraced them with the love of the true pastor’s heart.  This was probably one reason, why Paul felt so assured at naming Titus bishop of Crete, which was also riddled with error. He too would be martyred—he was beheaded by his adversaries on Crete in AD 97.

As they shared in the missionary activity of the Church, Timothy and Titus now share a feast day, reminding us all that we share our work in the vineyard of the Lord. Christians are so much more effective in spreading the Gospel when we are working together. 

For, by its very nature, the life of Christian holiness involves a dynamic openness and collaboration with others. The Church exists to give glory to God and to continue Christ’s work of salvation, and this is a communal effort. 

This is one reason why livestreaming Sunday Mass from our couches can never become the norm. Not only are we deprived of the Eucharist, but from gathering together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are our collaborators in the vineyard. St. John Paul writes, “communion and mission are profoundly connected with each  other, they interpenetrate and  mutually imply each other to the point that communion represents both the source and the  fruit of mission: communion gives rise to mission and mission is accomplished in communion.”

We should always be open and looking for opportunities to work together for God, bringing our unique gifts to complement the gifts of others. That’s what parish is supposed to be. A place of communal worship and communal mission.

Through the holy example and heavenly intercession of Saints Timothy and Titus and the whole communion of saints, may we be faithful in working together for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our bishops in union with the Pope, may share a profound zeal for faithful preaching and teaching, stirring up the flame of faith in the life of the Church. Let us pray to the Lord.

That our parish may build up missionary disciples equipped for working together for the spread of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of all hardened sinners and all persecutors of the faith and those in error, that the Lord may touch their hearts and remove the blindness from their eyes. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have suffered as a result of violence or abuse, all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

Annunciation 2018 - Mary, Co-Redemptrix

The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church. Earlier names for the Feast were Festum Incarnationis—The Feast of the Incarnation, and Conceptio Christi—the Conception of Christ. Though the name has varied, the date of the Feast is is placed exactly nine months before Christmas: nine months, the term of a pregnancy, except when it is displaced by Holy Week or the Octave of Easter, as it was this year.

We just celebrated Easter, and this feast gets us thinking about Christmas already. But this feast is so important, because without the Annunciation there wouldn’t have been an easter, without Mary’s yes, there would be no incarnation, and with no incarnation, there would be no saving sacrifice, no resurrection, no hope.

This is why Mary is often given the title of “Co-Redemptrix”. Mary participates in the redemption of man through her fiat. She cooperates with God’s plan for human redemption when she humbly accepts the Will of God, saying “Be it done unto me according to your word.” She accepts the labor and sufferings that the will of God entails. The devotion of the Seven Sorrows of Mary help us to contemplate all she suffered in union with Christ her Son to bring about—to deliver—our salvation.

Since Jesus Christ is the Mercy of God incarnate, Mary can rightly be called the “Mother of Mercy”, as she is in the Salve Regina. Since Jesus Christ is the salvation of the world, Mary can rightly be called the “Cause of our Salvation”, cause, in the Aristotelian sense, as she was called by St. Irenaeus in the 3rd century. Since Christ is Our Joy, Mary is rightly called the “Cause of our Joy”

Mary’s role in our salvation is not to be overvalued—as many protestants claim we do, nor is it to be undervalued, as most protestants end up doing. The Catholic position is not too hot, not too cold, but just right. To rightly love the Son, we rightly love the mother who brought him into the world through a consent of the will so humble it made the angels rejoice.

May we rightly enshrine Mary in our hearts by imitating her humility, by humbly submitting our minds, our wills, our whole lives to the Lord. May the Blessed Mother bring about in us a flowering, a new birth, of God’s grace within each of us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That through the teaching, preaching, and pastoral care of the Church all Christians will grow in their devotion to and imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  We pray to the Lord.

That through Immaculate Mary, Queen of Peace, hatred, violence, and cruelty will cease in the world.  We pray to the Lord.

For those trapped in the downward spiral of sin, that the hope offered through the Incarnation of Christ in the womb of the Blessed Virgin will bring them new life in the Spirit.  We pray to the Lord.

That Mary’s maternal care and heavenly intercession will raise us to the moral greatness befitting true children of God.  We pray to the Lord.

For blessings on all expectant mothers, newborn infants, and young families.  We pray to the Lord.
That from the moment of conception all children will be preserved from bodily harm; for the overturning of unjust laws that permit the destruction of innocent life; and that the minds of all may be enlightened to know the dignity of every human life.  We pray to the Lord.

For all those who have died, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  We pray to the Lord.

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.