32nd Week in Ordinary Time : Wednesday 11th November 2020

Titus was one of Paul’s convert. He had worked briefly with St Paul in Crete. The epistle, among other concerns, gave instructions to the Cretan believers, about faith and conduct.

As they read this epistle, would they have asked themselves:- What is expected of us who have received the kindness and love of God (v 4); who have experienced God’s compassion (v 5); who have received salvation (v 5); and who have been “justified” by God’s grace with the hope of “inheriting eternal life” (v 7)?

St Paul reminds them that once they were “ignorant, disobedient, … misled, enslaved by different passions and luxuries”; and that once they had lived in “wickedness and ill will, hating each other and hateful” themselves (v 3).

Therefore, he reminds them in living their new life — “not to go slandering other people or picking quarrels” but “to be ready to do good at every opportunity” (v 1) and “to be courteous and always polite to all kinds of people” (v 2).

St Paul tells them it is their ‘duty’ to be obedient to the officials and representatives of the government      (v 1).

But, what happens when there is a clash between one’s duty to God and one’s duty to the government? St Peter answers, “Obedience to God comes before obedience to men” (Acts 5:29).

Lord, grant me the courage to live for You.