2 Timothy 1: 1-3, 6-12
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Love Into Practice
“I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands, for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.”
Some translations of this excerpt from Paul’s fiery letter to Timothy include the fabulously Ignatian imagery of “stirring into flame” the graces of God. Paul writes to Timothy from prison for preaching the Gospel - so his words have some extra spice, it seems. We aren’t to be timid or cowardly in living the Gospel, but to remember that we have the God-given gifts of power and love (the sacrificial kind) and self-discipline. What would our Christian communities look like if we truly took this call to remain disciplined in our implementation of bold, loving action?
Another fiery preacher who found himself behind bars once or twice (or twenty-nine times), Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, spoke these words to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1967: “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”
Today, as we continue on our journeys in discipleship, may we identify and commit to the disciplines that support us putting this powerful combination of self-giving love and empowered action into practice.
—Shelly Roder lives in Milwaukee, WI and serves as Regional Director of the Ignatian Spirituality Project which provides spiritual care and accompaniment to people recovering from homelessness and addiction.
Prayer
Thank you, God, for the example Jesus gave us of taking bold action for justice. Help us in our own discipleship, inspired by the example of those saints and martyrs who used their lives to witness to a faith that does justice. Help us to stay alert to - and even turn toward - the places in our communities where injustice is present and to take loving, empowered action on behalf of those who are suffering. Amen.
—Shelly Roder