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Monday, January 26, 2015

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Sts. Timothy & Titus


2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5
Psalm 96:1-3, 7-8, 10
Mark 3:22-30

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believing is seeing

"Promote their knowledge of the truth as our religion embodies it." —Titus 1:1

No matter how well or poorly I teach the Scriptures through this booklet, you can almost immediately at least double the insights you receive from reading the Scriptures for the daily Mass by deciding to share anything you receive. If you put any light you receive on the lampstand (Mk 4:21), you will receive more light. "In the measure you give you shall receive, and more besides" (Mk 4:24). Understanding the Bible is not so much a matter of intelligence, but of sharing.

To share the good news credibly though, we must live the Good News. Understanding the Bible is basically a matter of obeying it. Some people maintain they need to understand something before obeying it. With the Bible, however, we must obey it before we ever truly and deeply understand it. For example, we don't understand how Jesus is present in Holy Communion merely because we have read the Bible. The Bible doesn't explain this in detail. However, when we obey the Bible by doing the Last Supper in memory of Jesus (1 Cor 11:24-25), devoting ourselves "to the breaking of bread" (Acts 2:42), and sharing our faith in Jesus present in the Eucharist, then we receive amazing insights. We see the light and understand what the Bible means. Believing, living, and sharing is seeing.

Prayer:  Father, give me a deep faith in You by which I can understand You much more deeply.

Promise:  "I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God bestowed when my hands were laid on you. The Spirit God has given us is no cowardly Spirit, but rather One that makes us strong, loving, and wise." —2 Tm 1:6-7

Praise:  St. Titus was a powerful evangelistic missionary team member. Through Titus' encouragement, God gave St. Paul the strength and reinforcement to evangelize Macedonia (see 2 Cor 7:5-7).

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 30, 2014

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