Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

September 6, 2023

Today’s Readings:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090623.cfm

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Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, we begin about two weeks of readings from Paul’s letters to the Colossians and to Timothy. These epistles often express personal tones not as evident in his other letters like Hebrews or Romans.

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In today’s reading we meet Paul’s beloved companions, Timothy and Epaphras. We will hear much more about Timothy later, but today let’s look at the snippets about Epaphras.

Just as in the whole world the Gospel is bearing fruit and growing,
so also among you,
from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth,
as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow slave,
who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on your behalf
and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

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Tradition holds that Paul may never have visited Colossae. He mentored and depended on Epaphras to build up the Church in that community. To report on his ministry, Epaphras visited Paul in Roman prison, and was arrested himself for a time. (Thus the reference “fellow slave”)

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Praying with Colossians this morning, I am reminded of the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Paul obviously did not build up the Pauline Churches alone. His letters are filled with names of those inspired with his same passion for the Gospel. Together, they shaped the early Church which is our heritage.

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In our Gospel, Jesus ventures out on his own missionary journey. But he does so in the company of Peter and others, valued companions as was Epaphras to Paul.

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Our faith communities need each one of us, too, to invest our committed energy for the building up of the whole. As we offer our gifts to the Body of Christ, we need the blessing of holy companionship, as did Jesus and Paul.

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I pray in thanksgiving today for my Sisters, for our Associates in Mercy, for my co-ministers over many years, for my dear family and friends, for all those “trustworthy” and “beloved” companions on our journey of faith together. You may want to do the same.

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Poetry: honor the roots- by Rupi Kour

remember the body of your community 
breathe in the people
who sewed you whole
it is you who became yourself
but those before you
are a part of your fabric

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Music: walking Each Other Home – Dierks Bentley