“I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6) This third reflection in our October series invites us to view this verse not only through the lens of Scripture and the wisdom of the Church Fathers, but also through the authoritative teaching of the Church herself. Paul's words are not only a pastoral charge to Timothy, but a timeless reminder to the whole Church. Every Christian, by virtue of Baptism and Confirmation, and some through the Sacrament of Holy Orders or Matrimony, has received a gift- a divine fire meant to illuminate the world. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in paragraph 1816, urges us not only to “keep the faith and live on it,” but also to “profess it, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it.” To stir the flame, then, is to recognize that the gift we’ve received is not merely for ourselves. It must be shared, expressed, and lived out in tangible ways.

“I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6) Last week, we reflected on Paul’s exhortation to Timothy from the perspective of Scripture itself. This week, we continue our October meditation by exploring this same verse through the lens of the early Church Fathers- those who received and lived this word within the vibrant, suffering, Spirit-filled Church of the first centuries. For them, this verse was both deeply personal and profoundly ecclesial. It spoke to the responsibility of each baptized and ordained person to nurture the grace they had received and to live it fruitfully for the salvation of others.

“I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6) These words come from the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy, one of the last known writings of Paul, likely composed around the mid-60s AD, near the end of his life. Paul writes from prison in Rome, fully aware that his earthly journey is coming to an end. It is a deeply personal and pastoral letter, addressed to Timothy, a young bishop whom Paul mentored and ordained. Timothy was entrusted with leading the Christian community in Ephesus- a challenging mission field marked by external persecution and internal confusion. The early Church was growing but fragile, often under pressure from Roman authorities and from competing ideas about the faith. In this context, Paul urges Timothy not to allow fear or discouragement to paralyze him, but to remember and rekindle the grace received at his ordination, the “gift of God," a divine empowerment for ministry, sustained by the Holy Spirit.

The Knights of Columbus are teaming up with the St. Michael Social Justice Committee to collect clothes, pull-ups and toys for toddlers for OpenArms Pregnancy Center in Augusta.

“He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8) Over the past several weeks, we have sat with this verse, reflecting on Christ’s self-emptying love, His obedience, His humility, and His invitation to each of us to live not for ourselves, but for others. We have explored how this verse comes alive through the Church’s teachings, through the witness of the saints, and in our own concrete acts of faith and service. We’ve seen how obedience isn’t passive but active, how humility is not weakness but strength, and how the Cross is not only a symbol of salvation but a pattern for daily discipleship.

“He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8) This powerful verse from St. Paul has guided our reflection throughout the month of September, drawing us into the mystery of Christ’s obedient love, His self-emptying on the Cross, and the call to follow Him along that same path. But what does it actually look like to live this verse? Not just to admire or pray with it, but to let it shape our choices, actions, and way of life in concrete, daily ways?

“He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8) This verse from St. Paul unveils the very heart of our faith: the radical, self-emptying love of Christ, made visible in His obedience to the point of death. The Catechism reminds us that “by his obedience unto death, Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of heaven on earth” (CCC 541), and in that act, “transformed the curse of death into a blessing” (CCC 1009). Death, once the ultimate sign of defeat, has become through Christ the doorway to life, love, and eternal communion with God. His surrender has opened for us the path to salvation, not by escaping suffering, but by transforming it from within.

Our children are hard at work preparing for a Bake Sale to support CGS!

The next collection will be for Shirley's Barn at Togus Pond.

The Parish collection for the United Community Living Center in Augusta, which serves the homeless, produced 619 rolls of toilet paper and 219 rolls of papers towels.

Good Afternoon Friends - August was a busy month for all our Food Ministry Programs; breakfast, supper and the vegetable garden. THANK YOU for volunteering, for putting your faith into action, to help in our programs to feed our friends and neighbors in need.

“He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8) The Church Fathers recognized in this verse a profound revelation of divine humility: the eternal Word descending freely into the depths of human suffering, not from obligation, but out of pure love. St. John Chrysostom reflected that Christ’s humility was not merely in becoming man, but in embracing the most degrading and shameful death- a crucifixion reserved for criminals and slaves. He called this “the excess of humility,” a phrase that captures the boundless love Christ poured out for humanity. Many early Christians, inspired by this mystery, were drawn to lives of asceticism and obedience, not as passive resignation but as courageous self-surrender. For the Fathers of the Church, humility was never weakness; it was a form of strength- the strength to choose love over pride, sacrifice over comfort, and truth over self.

“He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8) This verse comes from one of the most profound and poetic passages in the New Testament, often called the Christ Hymn in Philippians 2. St. Paul writes to the Christian community in Philippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia, to encourage unity and selflessness among the believers. The early Church was already experiencing internal tensions, and Paul, imprisoned at the time, urges them to imitate Christ's humility as the foundation for their life together. The hymn speaks of the Incarnation, where Christ, though equal with God, “emptied himself” to become human, and not just human, but a servant who embraced the ultimate humiliation of death by crucifixion. This is not a sentimental humility but a radical surrender of privilege, comfort, and even life itself, in obedience to the Father.

For the past several weeks, we’ve been reflecting on this verse and asking what it means to live with our hearts fixed on heaven. In week one, we had the example of St. John Vianney- a priest whose simplicity and spiritual focus constantly pointed others to heaven. In week two, we celebrated the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the martyrdom of St. Maximilian Kolbe. Both reminded us that seeking what is above means trusting radically in God’s promises and living with Kingdom readiness. Last week, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, showed us how a heart on fire for heaven can purify earthly motives and draw us into deeper union with Christ.

“Seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” - Colossians 3:1 In the past two weeks, we've explored this verse through the lens of Scripture, the Church Fathers, and the Catechism. This week, as we celebrate the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux on August 20, we turn to his life as a luminous example of someone who not only sought what is above but helped ignite that desire in others.

“Seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” - Colossians 3:1 he Church, in her wisdom, has long recognized this verse as a spiritual compass. It invites the faithful to lift their hearts and minds beyond earthly distractions and to live in constant awareness of our true homeland-heaven. St. Augustine, commenting on this passage, urged believers to desire with their whole heart the things of heaven: “Let your heart be there, and your life shall follow.” Church Fathers, such as St. Chrysostom and St. Ambrose, emphasized that Paul is not telling us to ignore our duties on earth, but to carry them out with a heart already oriented toward eternity.

“Seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” - Colossians 3:1 St. Paul wrote these words to the Christian community in Colossae, a small city in Asia Minor, during a time when new believers were wrestling with competing influences

This Sunday, Jesus teaches us how to pray. In Luke’s Gospel, he gives us the words of the Our Father and then shares a story of persistent asking: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” These are words of hope, but they are also a call to action. Jesus isn’t just teaching us how to pray; he’s showing us what to do when the world is in pain. And the world is in pain.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 10:38–42), Jesus visits the home of two sisters, Martha and Mary. While Martha is busy with the tasks of hospitality, Mary sits at the Lord’s feet and listens. Jesus gently reminds Martha that, though her service is good, “there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.”

“Go and Do Likewise” This Sunday, Jesus offers us the parable of the Good Samaritan- a story both familiar and radical. When a legal scholar asks, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds not with a theological treatise, but with a story that cuts through excuses and justifications. The Samaritan, an outsider, shows us what love of neighbor truly looks like: compassion, sacrifice, and presence.