Daily Scriptures Reflection for 6/9/12

Scripture: Lectionary 358. II Timothy 4:1-8. Psalm 71:8-9.14-15.16-17. Mark 12:38-44:

Paul is conscious how short life is and now he knows he will soon face the end of his life. He compares it to a libation being poured out for the Lord or like a race toward the goal for a crown. He seems at peace for he has anointed and commissioned Timothy to carry on what he has started. Timothy is to teach, preach, and encourage the
Christians in the newly formed churches through adherence and love for the Sacred Scriptures. Timothy is to multiply Christians. This is an important responsibility, namely, to invite others to follow Jesus and to live life in conformity with what Jesus and Paul have taught. The disciples one invites and those who accept are not to be held on by the inviter, but rather, formed and taught how to make other disciples without their being exclusively attached to the person who invited them. The principal of multiplication of Christians is what is important for the Churches.

We too as lay people or religious are encouraged to invite others to the following of the Lord and his Good News. This is how the faith is passed on as we have learned from the Acts of the Apostles and now from the Pastoral Epistles. Delegation, subsidiarity and forming leaders are part and parcel of the work of multiplyling Christians in
today’s world and culture. The disciples who follow our invitation are not our own but the Lord’s. Others can do equally well what we have done and we are called to let them have their own freedom in doing this. The work of the Lord and the story of the Lord will be learned and taught by them; thus the Church will grow and continue.

Jesus is always teaching and forming his disciples. He sees the widow putting her life sustenance into the Temple collection. He is so moved and struck by this total trust and love she shows toward the worship of God that they too must learn from her example. We, too, need to be generous and totally self-giving of our talents and gifts and we are to do this with joy, self-sacrifice, and peacefully. We must learn from the example of the widow, from the teaching and encouragement of Paul to Timothy, and from Jesus himself. Amen.

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