2 Timothy 1:1-8
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers. 4 As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you. 6 Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control. 8 Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God,
Mark 3:31-35
31 And his mother and his brethren came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brethren are outside, asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brethren?” 34 And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brethren! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
St PAUL wrote a pastoral letter that sought to inspire his protege by recalling his own history and his journey with Timothy whom he mentored and trained. He fondly recalls Timothy’s mother and grandmother whom Timothy tearfully left behind to serve Christ Jesus. It is evident that Timothy was having a trying and difficult time in the community that he oversaw, hence Paul reminds Timothy to not forget the day of his ordination and installation by the laying on of hands as the bishop of Ephesus. Paul seeks to inspire and strengthen young Timothy’s resolve to persevere despite the pain and suffering which is a meritorious gift of God’s grace.
St MARK sketches the scene where our Lord is being sought by His mother and His brethren. Someone in the crowd alerted our Lord that his family was looking for Him!These brethren could not have been the so-called biological brothers of Jesus. They were the twelve apostles and Mary who were in search of Jesus. One can draw this conclusion, because the so-called “brothers” who were kinsmen did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, hence they would have had no reason to follow Him or be interested in His teachings and mission. Jn 7:5
Our Lord tactfully cashed in on this show up of His Mother and disciples who were in search of Him by holding them up to be admired, cherished and imitated as being true caring members of the body of Christ who are obedient by submitting to the will of God! Mary and the apostles equally answered God’s call and without reserve or doubt positively responded to serve Christ by serving one another.
You and I who have answered our Lord’s call in baptism are reminded to not rest on our laurels, but to reach out and search for the lost, lonely, hungry, restless troubling faces who desire Jesus but are obscured by the noisy crowd. May our acts of love, charity and witness as brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and grandparents draw God’s lonely, distressed sons and daughters to follow Christ Jesus also.
LET US PRAY:Psalms 96:1-3,7-8,10
1 O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! 10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yea, the world is established, it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”
Morning Coffee Meditations. 