What God did for us
As one of Christ's ambassadors, the apostle Paul pleads his cause in
the words: For our sake God made the sinless one into sin. If God had done
nothing more for
us than to give up his Son for those who scorned him, we should still need
to marvel at the
greatness of the gesture. But in addition to this tremendous generosity,
God
permitted him
who did no wrong to be crucified for wrongdoers. The sinless one, who was
holiness incarnate,
God made into sin: that is, he allowed him to be judged as a malefactor,
to
die as one accursed,
for a man hanged upon a tree is accursed by God. Such a sentence was far
worse than mere
death. Saint Paul implies this elsewhere in the words: He became obedient
unto death, even
the death of the cross. Let us constantly remember, therefore, the many
blessings we have
received from him.
-John Chrysostom
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January 26th - Sts. Timothy and Titus BM (RM)
Died 97; feast day was January 24; in the East it is January 22. Saint
Timothy was born in Lystra, Lycaenia, the son of a Greek father and
Eunice,
a converted Jewish mother. Eunice, her mother Lois, and Timothy embraced
Christianity during Paul's first visit (2 Timothy 1:5) to Lycaenia. When
Saint Paul preached at Lystra seven years later, Timothy replaced Barnabas
(Acts 16:1-4). The two became close friends, and Saint Paul would write of
him affectionately as "the beloved son in faith." Since Timothy was the
son
of a Jewish woman, Saint Paul permitted him to be circumcised to satisfy
the
Jews (Acts 16:3). He accompanied Saint Paul on his second missionary trip.
When the opposition of the Jews compelled Saint Paul to leave Beroea,
Timothy remained behind to baptize, organize, and confirm the new converts
in the faith (Acts 17:10-14). He was then sent to Thessalonica to
investigate the status of the Christians there and to shore up their faith
in the face of persecution. His report was the basis for Saint Paul's
first
letter to the Thessalonians (generally thought to be the earliest New
Testament writing).
In 58, Timothy and Erastus went to Corinth to reinforce Paul's teachings.
Then they accompanied Saint Paul into Macedonia and Achaia. It is probable
that Timothy was with Paul when he was imprisoned in Caesarea, and again
in
Rome, where he himself was imprisoned for a time, then freed. Tradition,
recorded by Eusebius, has it that Timothy went to Ephesus, became its
first
bishop (some say consecrated by Paul), and was there stoned and clubbed to
death after denouncing the pagan festival of Katagogia, a celebration that
honored Dionysius (not Diana, as often stated).
Saint Paul directed two letters to Timothy: one from Macedonia about 65,
and
one while Paul was incarcerated in Rome, awaiting his own death. They
directed Timothy to correct innovators and teachers of false doctrine and
to
appoint bishops and deacons. Timothy manifested such virtue and dedication
that he merited great praise from Paul, such as that in 1 Corinthians
16:10.
Timothy's relics were allegedly translated to Constantinople in 356; cures
at that shrine are mentioned by Saint Jerome and Saint John Chrysostom
(Attwater, Benedictines, Butler, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Farmer, White).
In art, Saint Timothy is a bishop with a club and stone. Sometimes he is
shown receiving the epistle from Saint Paul (Roeder) or being stoned to
death (White). He is invoked against weakness of the stomach because of
Paul's words addressed to him in 1 Timothy 5:23: "have a little wine for
the
sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses" (Roeder).
Titus B (RM)
(also known as Timotheus)
1st century; feast days formerly January 4 (according to the Roman
Martyrology) and February 6 (from the time of Pius IX until the revision
of
the Roman Calendar in 1970); the Greeks and Syrians keep his feast on
August
25.
Titus was a Gentile (Acts 18:7), probably born in Gortyna, Crete. He was
converted by Saint Paul and became one of Paul's favorite disciples and
his
secretary. Saint Paul refers to him as "my true child after a common
faith"
(Titus 1:4). He acted as Saint Paul's secretary and traveled with him to
the
Council of Jerusalem, where Paul refused to allow him to be circumcised.
Paul sent Titus to Corinth to settle dissension, and again later to
collect
alms for the poor Christians of Jerusalem. Saint Paul ordained him the
first
bishop of Crete. Paul's letter to Titus certainly leaves that impression.
He
met Paul in Epirus and later Paul sent a letter to him from Macedonia
giving
directions on spiritual matters and the proper performance of a good
bishop.
After travelling to Dalmatia he returned to Crete, where he probably died
an
old man.
The untrustworthy Acts of Titus, supposedly written by Zenas the lawyer
(Titus 3:13), say that Titus was a royal descendent born on Crete, and he
went to Judea at age 20 after receiving a divine command; other equally
unreliable sources say he was born at Iconium or Corinth.
Titus was presumably buried at Gortnya (Crete). His head was brought to
Venice after the invasion of the Saracens in 823, and it is venerated in
Saint Mark's (Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Butler, Coulson, Delaney,
Farmer, White).
Titus is portrayed in art bareheaded, in a chasuble with a pastoral staff;
or with a bright, smiling face (White). According to Roeder, he is
pictured
as a bishop with a palm, lion of Saint Mark, and the words Provincia
Candiae
above him; often there is a radiance beaming from his face (Roeder). Saint
Titus is invoked against free-thinkers (Roeder).
Saint Quote:
"The spirit of Christian charity lives not within you, if you lament the
body from which the soul has departed, but lament not the soul from which
God has departed."
-St. Augustine (Doctor, 354-430) - "Catechism of the Council of Trent"
Bible Quotes:
"Purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:
let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into sorrow" -
James
4:8-9
"the death of sinners is very evil" - Ps 33:21
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A Prayer to the Crucified Savior
Lord Jesus, my Crucified Savior, Son of the most Blessed
Virgin Mary, open Your ear and listen to me as You listened
to Your Eternal Father on Mount Tabor.
Lord Jesus, my Crucified Savior, Son of the most Blessed
Virgin Mary, open Your eyes and look down upon me, as You
looked down from the Tree of the Cross upon Your sorrowing
and afflicted mother.
Lord Jesus, my Crucified Savior, Son of the most Blessed
Virgin Mary, open Your sacred lips and speak to me as You
did to Saint John when You gave Him as a son to Your
beloved mother.
Lord Jesus, my Crucified Savior, Son of the most Blessed
Virgin Mary, open Your arms and embrace me as You open
them on the Tree of the Cross to embrace the whole human
race.
Lord Jesus, my Crucified Savior, Son of the most Blessed
Virgin Mary, open Your heart and accept mine as You
opened Your heart from the Tree of the Cross, graciously
hear my prayer, if such be the pleasure of Your most Holy
Will. - Amen.
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