Daily Readings - Sat Jan 26 2019

First Reading - 2 Timothy 1.1-8 or Titus 1.1-5

¹Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, in accord with the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus²to Timothy, most beloved son. Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord³I give thanks to God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. For without ceasing I hold the remembrance of you in my prayers, night and day⁴desiring to see you, recalling your tears so as to be filled with joy⁵calling to mind the same faith, which is in you unfeigned, which also first dwelt in your grandmother, Lois, and in your mother, Eunice, and also, I am certain, in you⁶Because of this, I admonish you to revive the grace of God, which is in you by the imposition of my hands⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of virtue, and of love, and of self-restraint⁸And so, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Instead, collaborate with the Gospel in accord with the virtue of God

Titus

Chapter 1

¹Paul, a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, in accord with the faith of God’s elect and in acknowledgment of the truth which is accompanied by piety²in the hope of the eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before the ages of time³which, at the proper time, he has manifested by his Word, in the preaching that has been entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior⁴to Titus, beloved son according to the common faith. Grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Savior⁵For this reason, I left you behind in Crete: so that those things which are lacking, you would correct, and so that you would ordain, throughout the communities, priests, (just as I also ordained you

Luke

Chapter 10

¹Then, after these things, the Lord also designated another seventy-two. And he sent them in pairs before his face, into every city and place where he was to arrive²And he said to them: "Certainly the harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into his harvest³Go forth. Behold, I send you out like lambs among wolves⁴Do not choose to carry a purse, nor provisions, nor shoes; and you shall greet no one along the way⁵Into whatever house you will have entered, first say, ‘Peace to this house.⁶And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you⁷And remain in the same house, eating and drinking the things that are with them. For the worker is worthy of his pay. Do not choose to pass from house to house⁸And into whatever city you have entered and they have received you, eat what they set before you⁹And cure the sick who are in that place, and proclaim to them, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the call to live out our faith with courage and trust in God’s providence. In the first reading from 2 Timothy, St. Paul encourages Timothy to “stir into flame the gift of God” that he has received through the imposition of hands. Paul reminds Timothy of the faith that has been passed down through his family and urges him not to be ashamed of the Gospel, even in the face of persecution or hardship. This passage emphasizes the importance of perseverance and boldness in living out our faith, trusting that God’s grace will sustain us. In the Gospel, Jesus sends out 72 disciples ahead of him to prepare the way for his visit to various towns. He instructs them to travel lightly, without unnecessary provisions, and to rely on the hospitality of those they meet. Jesus also warns them that they will face challenges, likening them to “lambs among wolves.” Yet, despite these challenges, they are to proclaim the nearness of the kingdom of God and bring healing to those they encounter. This passage highlights the importance of trust in God’s providence and the need for generosity and openness in sharing the Gospel. Both readings remind us that living as disciples requires courage, humility, and trust in God’s plan. Like Timothy, we are called to fan into flame the gifts we have received and to witness to the Gospel without fear. Like the 72 disciples, we are called to go out into the world with simplicity and trust, relying on God’s grace to sustain us. In our daily lives, this means being open to the opportunities God gives us to share our faith, whether through words or actions, and to trust that He will provide for us as we do so. Let us ask for the grace to live with the same boldness and generosity, knowing that the kingdom of God is near.