Category: 2 Timothy

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Saints Peter and Paul

CHRYSOSTOM:

The stricter the watch, the more wonderful the demonstration. This was done on behalf of Peter, who became more esteemed as a result, and to demonstrate his innate virtue. “Prayer was earnestly made,” it says. It was the prayer of heartfelt love. They all sought a father, a gentle father. “Earnest prayer,” it says. Listen as to how they were disposed toward their teachers. They did not divide into factions or make an uproar but turned to prayer, that true alliance which is invincible. In this they sought refuge. They did not say, “Am I, a lowly good-for-nothing, to pray for him?” For since they acted out of love, they did not give these things any thought. read more

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Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

We are tempted to consider the value of the widow’s contribution based on strictly economic proportions.  An important lesson here is that God does not care how much humans value money.  The varying degrees of material wealth do not determine the stature of a man or a woman in the eyes of God.  God sees money very differently than we do – we should try to gain God’s perspective on money and on giving so that we may become wise.  If the intention of the giver is selfless, that is the true worth as God sees it.  One can give a large amount greedily, selfishly, and begrudgingly.  This giving is not worth much in God’s eyes.  God, as it says in the scripture, “Loves a cheerful giver.”  The everything that the widow put into her gift was not two pennies – she could very well have contributed those two pennies saying to herself, “well, it isn’t that much to lose anyway.”  God wasn’t even pleased by the fact that this was the last of her material wealth.  God is pleased that she disregards the selfish human importance placed on material wealth – He is pleased that she is ready to be dispensed with it for the sake of God and her neighbor. read more

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Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

The Christian makes space in his or her mind and heart for the Word of God.  Daily meditating on the Word as we hear it spoken in the Scriptures transforms our mind.  In that way, the Word becomes a light for our lives.  If we don’t frequent or listen carefully to the Word, it will not have much power to influence us in our daily lives.  Virtue is the ability to perform actions “in the light”: on the basis of what we know to be good.  Christian virtue is certainly based in part on our human experience: it conforms our choices to what any functioning conscience would know to be right and good.  Christian virtue, however, also gives our actions divine weight: beyond the good a clear conscience discerns, the good of heaven revealed by the Scriptures influences our choices and actions. read more