TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2010 - FEAST OF SAINTS TITUS AND TIMOTHY 

TITUS 1:1-5

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones and the recognition of religious truth, in the hope of eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before time began, who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted by the command of God our savior, to Titus, my true child in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.
 
For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you.

             ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

 LUKE 10:1-9 

    The Lord appointed a further seventy-two and sent them in pairs before him to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them: "The harvest is rich but the workers are few; therefore ask the harvest-master to send workers to his harvest. Be on your way, and remember: I am sending you as lambs in the midst of wolves. Do not carry a walking staffer traveling bag; wear no sandals and greet no one along the way. On entering any house, first say, 'Peace to this house. ' If there is a peaceable man there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the one house eating and drinking what they have, for the laborer is worth his wage. Do not move from house to house.
    "Into whatever city you go, after they welcome you, eat what they set before you, and cure the sick there. Say to them, 'The reign of God is at hand."
                                                                                                           
                   ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Today's feast of Timothy and Titus, bishops, is an important reflection on the early structure of the Church. In the Gospel we see that Jesus appointed a further seventy-two to assist him in his mission of proclaiming the Good News. Paul, as he establishes local churches throughout the Greek speaking world, leaves behind devout men, in the case of this reading Titus, to shepherd the church, appointing presbyters in each town. It is apparent from these readings that God intended from the beginning that the Church would have a divine structure, a hierarchy. In the case of the Gospel and mission of Jesus, the twelve enjoy a special position in the ministry of Jesus. The further seventy-two expands this group with another level of preachers "ordained" by Christ to proclaim his message of the coming of the Kingdom of God. 

The appointment of Titus, and Timothy as well, is more interesting from a Church structure point of view. Titus is appointed bishop of Crete. He is charged with appointing presbyters (priests) in each town, thereby establishing local parishes where the presbyters assist him in shepherding the church (diocese) of Crete. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul talks about the qualifications for Bishops and Deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13) and the need for the strong leadership of presbyters (1 Timothy 4:17-22). Thus we see in the Scriptures the threefold nature of Holy Orders and the beginnings of Apostolic Succession in the laying on of hands for ordination. 

Why is this important? Often I hear today people talking about the lack of need for any hierarchical structure in the Church. Since the Holy Spirit is poured out on all the baptized, their reasoning goes, we are each capable of discerning the will of God and have no need for the laws and teachings of the Church, especially the need for obedience to Church leaders. Certainly, the Holy Spirit was being poured out on all the baptized in the first century. A case can be made that the Holy Spirit was more active in the first century than in subsequent centuries. Nonetheless, it seems that the Holy Spirit, working through St. Paul and the other Apostles, deemed it necessary to create a hierarchy to ensure that false teachings and false prophets did not gain a foothold in the infant Church. We have had, and will continue to have, leaders who reflect human weakness and are less than what we would hope for. Their authority, however, comes from God. Certainly many of the Pharisees of Jesus' day were not good leaders in the faith. Yet Jesus says of them: 'The Pharisees and scribes have succeeded Moses as teachers; therefore do everything and observe everything they tell you. But do not follow their example." (Matthew 23:2&3)

The Church is a gift from God so that we might have a guide on our journey to the Kingdom. The fact that we can find fault in some of her ordained ministers does not free us from the obedience do her. Nor does the fact that the Church's ministers sin invalidate their ordination. The Church is divinely established, as we can see in today's readings. Though divinely established she depends upon sinful leaders to carry out her mission. We have all fallen short. We have all sinned. This is true of the ordained just as it is the laity. The grace of God is such that the Church is able to be custodian of the Deposit of Faith from generation to generation despite relying on human leaders. 

                        ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Heavenly Father, we thank for the gift of the Church. May the Holy Spirit strengthen her leaders and give them the wisdom they need to shepherd your people.