WEEKLY CATECHESIS
During his general audience on
Dec. 13, Pope Benedict XVI once again divided his time between St. Peter’s
Basilica, where he met with the faithful from the dioceses in the
Benedict noted that St. Paul held Timothy in high esteem: “Paul, in fact, entrusted some important missions to him and saw him as a sort of ‘alter ego,’ which is evident from the way in which he praises him in his Letter to the Philippians: ‘For I have no one comparable to him for genuine interest in whatever concerns you.’” Timothy is frequently mentioned in Paul’s letters, and often accompanied Paul on his journeys. Titus, a convert from paganism, accompanied Paul to the Council of Jerusalem, which sanctioned the preaching of the Gospel to the pagans while not imposing upon them the precepts of the law of Moses.
Both men were sent by Paul on important missions to the new churches.
“The sources we have on Timothy and Titus highlight their willingness to take on various tasks, which often consisted in representing Paul, even in difficult circumstances,” the Holy Father pointed out. “In other words, they teach us to serve the Gospel with generosity, knowing that this, too, is part of serving the Church.”
Yet, it is important to note, the Pope emphasized, that Paul used co-workers in carrying out his mission. “He is, of course, the apostle par excellence, the founder and shepherd of many churches,” he said. “Nevertheless, it is clear that he did not do it all by himself, but depended on trustworthy persons, who shared his concerns and his responsibilities.”
At the end of his general audience, Benedict encouraged those present to serve the cause of the Gospel with generosity like Timothy and Titus, thereby contributing to building up Christ’s Church.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
After speaking at length about the great apostle Paul, today we will look at two of his closest collaborators, Timothy and Titus. Three letters that are traditionally attributed to Paul are addressed to them — two to Timothy and one to Titus.
Timothy is a Greek name that means “the one who honors God.” Although Luke mentions him six times in the Acts of the Apostles, Paul refers to him seventeen times in his letters (as well as one more time in his Letter to the Hebrews). We can deduce from this that Paul held him in high esteem. Even Luke did not hesitate to tell us everything about him. Paul, in fact, entrusted some important missions to him and saw him as a sort of alter ego, which is evident from the way in which he praises him in his Letter to the Philippians: “For I have no one comparable to him for genuine interest in whatever concerns you” (Philippians 2:20).
Timothy
Timothy was born in Lystra (some 125 miles northwest of
Timothy traveled across Asia Minor
to Troas with Paul and Silas, and from there he went to
We encounter Timothy once again in
The disciple traveled once again from Corinth to Troas, on the Asian shore of the Aegean Sea, and waited there for Paul, who was on his way to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey (see Acts 20:4). From that moment on, ancient sources make only one addition to Timothy’s biography, which we read in the Letter to the Hebrews: “I must let you know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he comes soon, I shall see you together with him” (see Hebrews 13:23).
In conclusion, we can say that
Timothy stands out as an important shepherd. According to Eusebius’ subsequent Ecclesiastical History, Timothy was the
first bishop of
Titus
As regards Titus, whose name is of
Latin origin, we know that he was Greek by birth, therefore a pagan (see
Galatians 2:3). Paul took him along with him to
In the letter Paul addressed to
Titus, the apostle praises him and describes him as “my true child in our
common faith” (Titus 1:4). After Timothy left
Paul again sent Titus — whom he
called his “partner and co-worker” (2 Corinthians 8:23) — to
Generous Co-Workers
In conclusion, we become aware of some significant information when we reflect on these two figures, Timothy and Titus, together. The most important fact is that Paul used co-workers in carrying out his mission. He is, of course, the apostle par excellence, the founder and shepherd of many churches.
Nevertheless, it is clear that he did not do it all by himself, but depended on trustworthy persons who shared his concerns and his responsibilities.
Another observation concerns the interior disposition of his co-workers. The sources we have on Timothy and Titus highlight their willingness to take on various tasks, which often consisted in representing Paul, even in difficult circumstances. In other words, they teach us to serve the Gospel with generosity, knowing that this, too, is part of serving the Church.
Finally, let us take up the recommendation that the apostle Paul makes to Titus in the letter he addresses to him: “This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these points, that those who have believed in God be careful to devote themselves to good works; these are excellent and beneficial to others” (Titus 3:8). Through a concrete commitment on our part, we can and we must discover the truth of these words, and, in this season of Advent, we too must be rich in good works, thereby opening the doors of the world to Christ, our Savior.
(Register translation)
- Keywords:
- December 24- January 6, 2006