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.
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.
He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the Gospel,
for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher.
On this account I am suffering these things;
but I am not ashamed,
for I know him in whom I have believed
and am confident that he is able to guard
what has been entrusted to me until that day.
REFLECTION
"the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus"
I have not held back my joy of being able to travel to England to be present for my grandson’s first Holy Communion. Literally the matriarch of the family and the youngest of the family were able to hold hands and share our beliefs, through faith and trust in the Lord. Remembering my grandchildren, I, too, keep them constantly in my prayers, night and day. I pray that they don’t get caught up in the world.
Paul was much older than Timothy as noted in the first reading. St Paul stated that his young age should not matter when it comes to living the Gospel and serving the Lord, His bride the Church. My response to Paul’s letter of stirring into flame the gift of God is to pray, be an active part in my grandchildrens' lives and to help them in their life’s journey.
May the graces received at his First Holy Communion help him in this world that he lives in. May God continue to live in him and may his “bela” help him in his spiritual growth.
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of St Boniface, Bishop and martyr. He, too, like St Paul, wrote letters to the Church. He wrote regarding the Church being a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s stresses. He encourages us not to abandon the ship but to work to keep her on course. How are we to do that?
Pray daily for the Church.
Pray daily for our family.
Daily Mass.
Spend time with the Blessed Sacrament daily.
Evangelize the younger generation about our faith.
Salvation of souls is the most important action we take.
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