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2 Timothy 1:1-8
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
for the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
to Timothy, my dear child:
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to God,
whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,
as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.
I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears,
so that I may be filled with joy,
as I recall your sincere faith
that first lived in your grandmother Lois
and in your mother Eunice
and that I am confident lives also in you.
For this reason, 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.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel
with the strength that comes from God.
The Word of the Lord.
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On paper, Saint Paul’s accolades are impossible to repeat:
The Risen Christ appeared to him; Paul helped to write half of the New Testament; the greatest missionary of his age; and a man of exceptional spiritual and physical endurance.
But there’s one thing that I find endearing about him. Although he had no children of his own, Paul had the tender heart of a father.
He ordained a number of men to the priesthood, including Timothy, whom he refers to as his, “spiritual son.”
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In our first reading, we hear part a letter, which Paul writes to Timothy, revealing several important truths about their relationship.
First, Paul writes to encourage Timothy, who seems to be struggling in his faith. “I remind you,” he says, “to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.”
We don’t know exactly why Timothy was struggling – it could have been the effect of Paul’s absence, who’s writing to him from prison; the weight of persecution; or something as simple as dryness in prayer or burn out.
But, “I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day,” Paul says.
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He continues with tender-hearted affirmation, reminding Timothy that he follows in the footsteps of other faithful Christians, including his own grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, who came to faith before him. Their faith, “dwells in you.”
Then he concludes by challenging Timothy – as I suppose as any father would – to, “bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.”
Such is the nature of a healthy father-son relationship: there is tenderness and affirmation, but also high standards.
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I’d imagine Paul has the same fatherly love for each of us. While he assures us of his prayers, he also reminds us that our work is not complete. “Bear your share of hardship for the Gospel.”
What might that look like for us today?
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Image credits: (1 Saint Paul Writing his Letters, Museum of Fine Art Houston, Public Domain ) (2) Agape Bible Study (3) Catholic Campus Ministry