Today we celebrate the feast days of Saints Timothy and Titus.  The first readings for today are taken from 2 Timothy and Titus.  While reflecting on Saint Titus who was an early Christian missionary, it brought me back to a very special time in my life.  Several years ago when my three children were preschoolers, we attended a program called Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS).  This was a wonderful ministry for new moms to come together for fellowship while our preschoolers attended their own classes.

One of the aspects of our time together was to be mentored from the “seasoned” mom who was called the “Titus” mentor.  Our “Titus” mentor was the perfect example of a witness who didn’t place her lamp under a bushel basket or under a bed as we read about in the Gospel selection today from Mark 4:21-25.  She placed her lamp on her lampstand and spoke very openly of the love and relationship she had with Jesus.  I was one of those who had ears to hear.  She was God’s instrument that changed my life forever.  I was drawn into her love for Jesus and wanted that same type of relationship.  I prayed for a deeper love and understanding of Jesus and my faith.  It was a prayer answered and I am so grateful.

A year ago at this time my husband and I went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  Below are two pictures, the first one from the Sea of Galilee and the second one from the Dead Sea.  That is my husband Kenny.  The Sea of Galilee receives from the Jordan River and has an outlet.  Our outlet is placing our lamp on the lampstand.  We are called by Jesus to do so.  When we hide our lamp under the bushel basket or our bed, we become like the Dead Sea where the Jordan River runs into it but it does not have an outlet.  We become stagnate and die.


“A lamp to my feet is your word,
A light to my path.” Ps 119:105