Homily: Feast of St. Robert Bellarmine (1 Timothy 6:2c-12)
Feast of St. Robert Bellarmine (1 Timothy 6:2c-12) “What Kind of Leaders Do I follow?”
First and Second Timothy are part of what is called the pastoral letters of St. Paul. The pastoral letters are addressed to specific bishops in the early church. We could say they are instructions on how to be a bishop. We might also describe them as pep talks to younger men who needed reassurance as they did their day-to-day ministry.
St. Paul tells Timothy that there are several temptations that need to be avoided if one is going to be a holy bishop. One temptation is to play to the crowd rather than to speak the truth. This is a temptation for anyone in a leadership role. A leader can let politics dictate what they do. What is the most popular course of action? This can be the question that is asked first by those who are in authority. Another motivating principle can be what my superior wants. Many people think this way, whether they work for the church or a corporation. Paul reminds Timothy that what matters most is making good ethical choices. Sometimes there are ramifications, but that is to be expected in leadership roles.
St. Paul warns Timothy against being greedy. Religion can become a tool a pastor uses to live in and gain creature comforts. It can be a temptation for any religious leader to give more attention to the wealthy or to seek worldly privilege. This needs to be avoided. Jesus never looked for personal profit from his ministry. He was satisfied to have his basic needs met.
Paul ends this section of his letter by reminding Timothy that the things to be most sought are virtues like faith, love, patience and gentleness. Seeking these things makes no sense to the worldly person, but to a disciple of Jesus Christ these are the things that matter.
Reflection Questions:
- What do I believe the qualities of a good bishop or pastor are? Does my list match St. Paul’s?
- Are people in religious leadership called to a higher standard of conduct? Are all Christians called to ethical leadership? Why or why not?
Dear Parishioners,
Remember that this is the weekend to return your Annual Diocesan Appeal pledge. Our goal is $115,000. This is the lowest goal we have had since I have been here. Some have asked, why our target has gone down. The main reason is that our school assessment has climbed. The formula that is used to determine the goals is based on ordinary income and the percentage of that income that goes to Catholic Schools. Our percentage now stands above 40%.
Funds collected for Capital need are also not part of the formula. Our finance committee has tried to have capital fund drives to make repairs to our buildings. When we don’t take money from our ordinary income for major repairs this helps the bottom line a lot.
Thank you to all who support the parishes financial efforts. If we make our goal this will be of even more benefit to our parish.
May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints watch over you.
Fr. Mark