Titus

Titus 1:1-9

#491 Weekday Year II Context (Monday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time)

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ
for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones
and the recognition of religious truth,
in the hope of eternal life
that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,
who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior,
to Titus, my true child in our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,
on condition that a man be blameless,
married only once, with believing children
who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious.
For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant,
not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive,
not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness,
temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled,
holding fast to the true message as taught
so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine
and to refute opponents.
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Commentary on Ti 1:1-9

This selection is the introduction to St. Paul’s letter to Titus. At the beginning of the second paragraph he lets us know what Titus’ mission is – to form the Church on Crete (which according to the best scholarship, Paul himself never visited). He continues to remind Titus of the character attributes of presbyters (elders) and bishops in parallel with 1 Timothy 3: 1-7. The list of these attributes falls into four basic areas and is not intended to be a complete list, but rather foundational guidelines. These include: irreproachable conduct; his family should be Christian (in newly converted Crete this would have been a special emphasis); an upright and welcoming person; and a good grasp of Christian doctrine.

CCC: Ti 1:5-9 1577; Ti 1:5 1590
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Titus 1:1-5

#520 Proper of Saints Context (Sts. Timothy and Titus, Jan 26)

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ
for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones
and the recognition of religious truth,
in the hope of eternal life
that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,
who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior,
to Titus, my true child in our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you.
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Commentary on Ti 1:1-5

This selection is the introduction to St. Paul’s letter to Titus. "The heading is particularly long and formal. It contains, as usual (cf. Romans 1: 1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:13; etc.), the sender's name--Paul; the addressee's --Titus; and the greeting--"Grace and peace". In this case, however, Paul's title (Apostle), and the prerogatives of his authority and his God-given mandate to preach are given special emphasis (v. 3). This has led some scholars to argue that the epistle was in fact written by a disciple of St Paul--who would have put in all this about the Apostle's authority in order to give the letter more weight. However, it is more reasonable to suppose that when St Paul was writing the letter he had Titus very much in mind and also the community in Crete, whom false teachers were beginning to unsettle; the solemn, official tone would be due to the serious nature of their doctrinal aberrations and to the need to ensure that the church in Crete was property organized.[2]

 In the second paragraph he lets us know what Titus’ mission is: to form the church on Crete (which according to the best scholarship, Paul himself never visited).

CCC: Ti 1:5-9 1577; Ti 1:5 1590
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Titus 2:1-8, 11-14

#492 Weekday Year II Context (Tuesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time)

As for yourself, you must say what is consistent with sound doctrine,
namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified,
self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance.
Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior,
not slanderers, not addicted to drink,
teaching what is good, so that they may train younger women
to love their husbands and children,
to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers,
under the control of their husbands,
so that the word of God may not be discredited.

Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves,
showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect,
with integrity in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech
that cannot be criticized,
so that the opponent will be put to shame
without anything bad to say about us.

For the grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of the great God
and of our savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own,
eager to do what is good.
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Commentary on Ti 2:1-8, 11-14

In the first section of the reading from St. Paul’s letter to Titus we see the social conventions of the time reflected in the apostle's words. The roles within the family were stated and reinforced as effective teaching tools for the younger generations (women and men) to keep God’s commandments, and to live in harmony within the faith community (avoiding dissension that would disrupt the “Body of Christ”). The omitted verses, 9-10, dealt with another social convention of the time, slavery, and how converted members within that social rank should comport themselves also with the humility of Christ.

The selection concludes with St. Paul’s summary of Christian behavioral norms under the instruction and influence of the Holy Spirit (“For the grace of God has appeared”). His language clearly implies that he expects the imminent return of Christ in the Parousia, and the final judgment.

CCC: Ti 2:1-6 2342; Ti 2:12 1809; Ti 2:13 449, 1041, 1130, 1404, 2760, 2818; Ti 2:14 802
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Titus 2:11-14

#14ABC Solemnities ABC Context (Nativity of the Lord Midnight ABC)

Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.
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Commentary on Ti 2:11-14

St. Paul gives a summary of Christian behavioral norms under the instruction and influence of the Holy Spirit (“For the grace of God has appeared…”). His language clearly implies that he expects the imminent return of Christ in the Parousia, the final judgment.

In the final verse: “to cleanse for himself a people as his own,” “The expression is taken from the Greek OT. Both Exodus 19:5 and Deuteronomy 7:6 use these words to describe Israel as Yahweh’s special possession by covenant. The nation was set apart as a holy and priestly people called to draw other nations closer to God (Deuteronomy 4:6-8; Isaiah 49:6). But since the persistence of sin and weakness prevented Israel from fulfilling this vocation under the Old Covenant, Christ came to reconstitute his covenant people in the Church (1 Peter 2:9) and to empower them to fulfill the mission once given to Israel (Matthew 5:14-16). Paul’s words are also reminiscent of the New Covenant oracles of Ezekiel, especially Ezekiel 37:23.”[1]

CCC: Ti 2:12 1809; Ti 2:13 449, 1041, 1130, 1404, 2760, 2818; Ti 2:14 802
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Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7

#21C Solemnities C Context (The Baptism of the Lord C [1st Sunday in Ordinary Time])

Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own,
eager to do what is good.

When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
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Commentary on Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7

The letter to Titus speaks to the message he is to take to the Cretans. The first verses (11-14) are almost a hymn of praise, blessing God for his gift of salvation. We hear a prayer-like request for the moral strength to live the convictions and communal values St. Paul enjoined upon the community earlier (v. 1-11). The passage continues, in the third chapter, speaking about the gifts we are given as a consequence of Baptism, and how our Baptism is linked to Jesus' sacrifice. Baptism provides access to salvation and all are cleansed (justified) by it.

CCC: Ti 2:12 1809; Ti 2:13 449, 1041, 1130, 1404, 2760, 2818; Ti 2:14 802; Ti 3:5 1215; Ti 3:6-7 1817
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Titus 3:1-7

#493 Weekday Year II Context (Wednesday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time)

Beloved: Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities,
to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.
They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,
exercising all graciousness toward everyone.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,
slaves to various desires and pleasures,
living in malice and envy,
hateful ourselves and hating one another.

But when the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
he saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
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Commentary on Ti 3:1-7

St. Paul instructs Titus to teach obedience to civil authority in the beginning of this passage, something that would be challenging in Crete as the mostly Jewish population was very dissatisfied with Roman rule. The apostle reminds them that, as Christians, the faithful are to comport themselves as “children of God,” reiterating his general instructions about living in harmony presented earlier in the letter (cf. Titus 2).

In the second section of the passage he provides the theological reason for his instruction. Referring to the sacramental grace of baptism, he reminds Titus that it was a gift, not earned through some special merit, that God’s love was poured out (“so that we might be justified by his grace”). This “justification,” or being made just as if the sin of Adam had never affected mankind, creates an adoptive state. Those so washed become “heirs in hope of eternal life.”

CCC: Ti 3:5 1215; Ti 3:6-7 1817
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Titus 3:4-7

#15ABC Solemnities ABC Context (Nativity of the Lord at Dawn ABC)

#752 Ritual Mass Context (I. For the Conferral of Christian Initiation, 1. Catechumenate and Christian Initiation of Adults, Christian Initiation Apart from the Easter Vigil, 10.)

Beloved:
When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
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Commentary on Ti 3:4-7

St. Paul describes the duties of Christians in this section of his letter (v.1-7). In the first verses he spoke of their behaviors before the coming of Christ (“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded, slaves to various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful ourselves and hating one another.” Titus 3:3). Now he speaks of the changes brought about with Christ’s coming to them, bathing them in the Baptism of Christ and the Holy Spirit. He then provides the theological reason for his instruction (“so that we might be justified by his grace”).

CCC: Ti 3:5 1215; Ti 3:6-7 1817
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[1] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p. 406
[2] The Navarre Bible: “Letters of St. Paul”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 611