LITURGY OF THE DAY: FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY January 23-25, 1998

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Monday, January 26:The Feast of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops

First Reading: 2 Timothy 1: 1-8 or Titus 1: 1-5
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89: 20-22, 25-26
Gospel Reading: Mark 3: 22-30

     The disciple Saint Timothy was a prized pupil of Saint Paul. Timothy's father had been Greek, his mother Eunice Jewish. Both converted to Christianity and Eunice tutored Timothy in the faith. On Paul's first missionary journey Timothy was converted and baptized, accompanying the Apostle on his second and third journeys. As the Acts of the Apostles affirms, Paul sent Timothy to minister to the Greeks in Macedonia, Thessalonica, and Corinth. From all reports Timothy became a bishop in Ephesus and there he died a natural death.

     The other bishop whose feast we celebrate today - Saint Titus was converted with Timothy, but unlike Timothy, was pagan born and not tutored by his parents in the faith. Titus was invited to join Paul and Saint Barnabas to the Council of Jerusalem with the other Apostles. Paul, as is confirmed in his Second Letter to the Corinthians, had great trust in Titus and appointed him bishop of the Church in Crete. There he died at an old age, also a peaceful death. Both, along with Saint John, were a few of the only ones not martyred for their faith. Titus holds a special place in the hearts of Croatians.

Friday, January 27:
Weekday in the Third Week of Ordinary Time

First Reading: 2 Samuel 6: 12-15, 17-19
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24: 7-10
Gospel Reading: Mark 3: 31-35

January 1998