Saint Timothy
A.D. 17-97
The Talmud offers a striking image: “Every blade of grass has an angel that bends over it and whispers, ‘Grow, grow.’”Growth, it suggests, does not happen by force, but through loving attention and faithful encouragement.
This image sheds light on both the gift and the burden of parenthood—and, more broadly, of spiritual mentorship. Parents hold an irreplaceable influence over how their children grow and who they become. In a very real sense, they also shape the future of the Church. When children are raised with joy, reverence, and wonder for the faith, the Church flourishes. When they are raised without ever encountering the beauty and genius of Catholicism, indifference quietly takes root.
Parents often ask what kind of world their children will inherit. One answer is sobering but hopeful: tell me what parents value today, and I will tell you what the future will look like tomorrow. The future passes, as it always has, through the hands and hearts of those who teach the next generation how to live—and what to love.
Saint Timothy is a luminous example of this truth. His path to holiness was prepared long before he met Saint Paul. Scripture tells us that Timothy’s sincere faith first lived in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, devout women who faithfully handed on their belief in God even though Timothy’s father did not share their faith. Saint Paul writes:
“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5)
The faith is most often transmitted not through arguments, but through example—through daily acts of love, prayer, sacrifice, and consistency. It is whispered, again and again: Grow.
Today, pause and reflect: Who first whispered faith into your life? A parent, a grandparent, a teacher, a mentor, a friend? If you can, reach out and thank them. And ask God for the grace to be that gentle, faithful voice of encouragement for someone else.
Lord, help us to nurture the faith entrusted to us, and to pass it on with love.
A question to think about:
WHO PLAYED THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN YOUR LIFE IN PASSING DOWN THE FAITH TO YOU? HOW CAN YOU LET THEM KNOW HOW THANKFUL YOU ARE?
