Timothy was a young man who received the faith from his grandmother, Lois. He was sent as an ambassador to quell disputes in the early Church. Likewise, Titus undertook difficult missions and was assigned to organize the Church in Crete.

In his letter to Timothy, St. Paul is providing encouragement and reminding him that the strength he needs for his difficult task will come from God.  He leaves us with a striking image of stirring into flame the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit.

So what does that look like for us?

If you have ever tended a fire in a fireplace or at a campsite, you know there is often a need to stir the coals. If a log is only burning on 1 side it tends to smoke and does not give off much heat. By stirring the coals, the entire log can burn evenly.

So too with us, it can be tempting to compartmentalize our faith. We may expose one part of lives to God’s burning love but unless the coals are stirred…the rest of our lives will only smolder. By keeping our thoughts and prayer focused on God throughout the day, we can stir the flames of the Holy Spirit into all parts of our lives.  When we stay focused on our faith and remain open to His fruits of love, joy, peace, patience and self-control, we will more easily overcome our struggles and rise to meet the challenges in our daily life.

Let us ask for the intercession of St. Timothy and St Titus to stir the fire of the Holy Spirit into each part of our lives so that we can burn brightly with His love today.