Chotard Doll

Dear Companions on the journey,

Today we celebrate the feast of Timothy and Titus, two faithful companions and friends of St. Paul. We hear their names often in the Epistles of Paul, so I wanted to gather the details of their lives, and how they supported him.

I love that Timothy became a Christian only after his grandmother Lois chose to follow Paul’s teaching, and then his mother, Eunice, and finally Timothy himself. That’s the way the gospel spreads! But Timothy became a staunch and seasoned supporter of Paul through some hard times, especially when Paul was imprisoned in Rome.

And Paul trusted both Timothy and Titus to be his representatives, sent to the Christian communities in need of reinforcement or encouragement…like Corinth, where quarrels provoked a really stern letter from Paul which Timothy had to deliver.

So what can we learn from these two dedicated men? The collect for their day prays for strength to endure hardship, and to stand fast in adversity, as they stood by Paul as committed friends in all the difficulties and struggles of early Christianity. And it also prays that we may have the strength to live godly and righteous lives in this present time—a challenge and opportunity we all need to hear over and over again as we continue on this journey of faith.

But I must share one obscure fact. At one point, Paul wrote to his friend Titus (who was in charge in Ephesus) to stop drinking so much water and take a little wine for his stomach and other illnesses. (Titus probably had ulcers from the stress of his job.) So, as a result, Timothy and Titus have become the patron saints of stomach illnesses. …”some have greatness thrust upon them!”

Faithfully,

—Chotard