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2 Timothy 4: 10-17
Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.
Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.
At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
The Word of the Lord.
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Our first reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to Timothy captures the story of three Christians with very different experiences of faith. Each provides a lesson for us today.
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The first was Demas.
Demas was once a believer; Paul wrote about him in his earlier letters. But sadly, Demas became, “enamored with the world,” and lost his faith.
He provides a cautionary tale for us all. Faith is a life-long journey, riddled with temptations along the way. We should beware of our attachment to material things and fleeting pleasures; they can choke our faith.
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Then there’s Saint Mark.
Mark and Paul once ministered together, but Mark abandoned Paul on one of their early missionary journeys, perhaps out of fear of persecution.
Paul calls upon Mark from his prison cell in Rome, where the two are eventually reconciled and later martyred for the Gospel.
Mark and Paul’s story remind us of the importance of reconciliation. We should seek it with one another while it can still be found.
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Finally, there’s Saint Luke, whose feast day we celebrate today.
Paul says that in his travels, Luke was, “the only one with me.” Luke was faithful, never giving up – neither on his companion, nor on his faith.
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Three Christians with three different stories, each providing a lesson for us today.
Do not cling to the material things of this world; they distract us from what really matters.
Seek reconciliation while it can still be found.
And, above all, remain faithful to the Gospel you have received.
Saint Luke, pray for us.
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Image credits: (1) New Beginnings in Christ (2) Saint Luke, Valentin de Boulogne (3) agodman.com