After two thousand years, the Christian community is still reading a somewhat melancholy letter from an elderly preacher to his novice disciple about the desperations and the hopes that the young missionary will face as he joins in the early Church’s efforts to evangelize the whole world. This liturgical season all four October Sundays will present a portion of St. Paul’s Second Letter to St. Timothy which laments St. Paul’s imprisonment while it encourages St. Timothy’s missionary zeal. St. Timothy had been ordained a priest (perhaps even a bishop) by St. Paul himself: “…stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” The older apostle urges continued courage: “…God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” Bishop Thomas J. Tobin’s episcopal motto is based on the last three words of this verse. The new evangelist should never “…be ashamed…” of the Gospel but instead “…bear your share of hardship…” finding strength in “the sound words” that Timothy heard from Paul and from “the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.”
St. Paul, saddened by the chains he is wearing, next reminds Timothy of the core of the Gospel message: “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David.” Jesus is indeed seated now triumphantly in heaven but he was also a son of David having experienced the vagaries of human existence. Christ is God and man, Divine and human. The victory of Christ’s resurrection over humanity’s sins is the irrepressible Gospel message: “…the Word of God is not chained.” Any setback, any discouragement, is worth enduring “…for the sake of those who are chosen.” The Christian message is here bluntly summarized: “If we have died with him, we shall also live with him.”
In words that are particularly instructive for the Post-Vatican II Church, St. Paul then insists that “the Sacred Scriptures” be taken very seriously: “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed.” Raised in a believing family “from infancy,” Timothy is instructed to find in the Scriptures “…wisdom for salvation…” as he reads the Word of God with “…faith in Jesus Christ.” In no uncertain words, St. Paul exalts the role of Scripture in the Christian life: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” Paul does not apologize for his bold insistence on the role of the Bible in salvation history: “…proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” By an unhappy but understandable twist of history, in my opinion, the Catholic Church in recent centuries greatly stressed the importance of the sacraments to the sad neglect of the Scriptures. The Apostle’s exaltation of God’s Word must once again be taken quite seriously.
St. Paul continues to insist that his faith is as strong as ever: “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.”
The Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy understandably concludes with some hints of the Apostle’s personal discouragement. Lengthy imprisonment has clearly taken its toll. “I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand.” Indeed St. Paul had his share of prisons. Paul spent two years under house arrest in Rome while awaiting trial before Caesar. Before arriving in Rome, Paul was held under guard in Caesarea for two years. Most scholars believe Paul spent about six years in custody.
Personal abandonment only added to the sadness of government imprisonment: “At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me.” However the Lord was always faithful: “But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it.” But things could have been worse: “I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.” And eventually all the promises of the Christian life will be personally fulfilled in St. Paul: “The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
