Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saints Timothy and Titus. It is a special day for my parish, as I attend St. Timothy Parish. Because it is a shared feast day, we have an option of two first readings, one from 2 Timothy and one from Titus. I’d like to concentrate today on the reading from 2 Timothy. Our Gospel reading for today is from Luke 10, the story of Jesus sending out the seventy-two.
St. Paul tells Timothy in his second letter to him, “I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” Interesting words…stir into flame the gift of God that you have. It makes one wonder if the gift of God had turned into an ember in St. Timothy’s life. I rather doubt that. But I think that fire for God can always burn more brightly in our lives.
Have you ever played with a campfire? If so, you know this image from St. Paul is spot on. When the flames die down, you stir things around so that the fresher wood will ignite. And when you add oxygen by blowing on the embers, look out. If we stir the embers of our faith and allow the breath of the Spirit to blow new life into us, we will be on fire! Burn, baby, burn!
Father, stir the embers of our faith and let the wind of your Spirit light us up! We pray in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
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