The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives. LK 4:17
2 TIMOTHY 1:1-8
My Soul's Beloved,
St. Paul praises the faith of Timothy's mother, Eunice, and grandmother Lois, and credits them for handing down their faith to him so effectively that Timothy himself now assists Paul in preaching and teaching the Good News of the Gospel that saves. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, look with compassion and tender mercy on us who pray for our children night and day for their salvation. We too did our best to hand on our faith to them, but unlike Timothy, they have wandered far from Holy Mother Church.
Hear our prayers and the prayers of all mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers, as well as anyone who cries out to You day and night for the salvation of their loved ones. Presently, they are too weak to resist the lure of the world, the wiles of the Enemy, and the concupiscence of the flesh, but You, O Lord, are stronger and mightier than the power of the world or the nether world. You have won the victory. Your glorious right arm has triumphed, and this is why I can pray with joyful hope and with confidence that, in the end, they will come home, just as the prodigal son did.
They have been baptized into Your Body and are members of the Catholic Church, they are adopted sons of the Living God, and I know that the Holy Spirit will do for them what He has done for Timothy by fanning into flame the gift of faith that was freely bestowed on them at their baptism. That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.
I believe, Lord, that You will hear, You will answer, and they will be saved. Strengthen my belief. Amen.
From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus in his design to promise life in Christ Jesus; to Timothy, dear child of mine, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
Night and day I thank God, keeping my conscience clear and remembering my duty to him as my ancestors did, and always I remember you in my prayers; I remember your tears and long to see you again to complete my happiness. Then I am reminded of the sincere faith which you have; it came first to live in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I have no doubt that it is the same faith in you as well.
That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.
PSALM(96):1-3,7-8,10
Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.
The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”’
From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus in his design to promise life in Christ Jesus; to Timothy, dear child of mine, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
Night and day I thank God, keeping my conscience clear and remembering my duty to him as my ancestors did, and always I remember you in my prayers; I remember your tears and long to see you again to complete my happiness. Then I am reminded of the sincere faith which you have; it came first to live in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I have no doubt that it is the same faith in you as well.
That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.
PSALM(96):1-3,7-8,10
Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.
Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.
LUKE 10:1-9
My Soul's Beloved,
My Soul's Beloved,
Faith is the conviction that the Word of God will accomplish all that it says it will. Unless I believe O Lord, unless Your Word is so etched in my heart and soul and has formed my mind, my intellect, and my conscience, I will be ineffective in drawing anyone to believe in You and be saved.
The seventy-two lived with You, were instructed by You, learnt from You, were witnesses to all the miracles You performed, the poverty of spirit with which You lived, and Your magnanimity in dealing with the last, the least, the lowest, the forgotten, the marginalized, and those whom the world rejected. They were to go before You to the places You would eventually visit and prepare the way for You. They were to go in persona Christi, alter Christus, so when You did arrive, they would already know You, love You, believe in You, and follow You.
Lord God, I am called to be like these seventy-two whom You sent. I call myself Your disciple, but I am ashamed to confess that I am weak, fearful, bashful, and hesitant to proclaim the faith boldly, even though it is a faith I hope I would be willing to die for. The harvest is plentiful, Beloved, but lacks committed laborers. Grant us the graces we need to be willing to go out and work faithfully to bring in the great harvest of souls who are thirsting for the hope and the salvation of the Gospel.
The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”’
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