“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.

In its original context, this verse is not just a sentimental encouragement. It is a summons to courage and action. Paul is exhorting Timothy to take responsibility for his vocation and to live it with boldness, love, and self-discipline. The image of stirring into flame evokes a fire that may be dwindling, not extinguished but in need of tending. The grace Timothy received is still present, but like a hearth in the morning chill, it must be fed, stirred, and guarded to blaze again. For Paul, this is not merely about personal spirituality, but about the mission of the Church. The Church cannot afford for her shepherds to grow timid. The fire must be rekindled, not just for personal renewal, but for the sake of the flock.

Today, this verse speaks just as urgently to us at St. Michael Parish. In a time when many feel discouraged by a changing Church and a secular culture, Paul’s words echo with renewed clarity. Each of us has received gifts from God through Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, and for some, through Holy Orders or Marriage. These gifts are not ornaments; they are instruments of grace, meant to be lived and shared. Too often, the flame of discipleship dims under the weight of routine, fatigue, or distraction. But the Spirit who dwells within us has not abandoned us. Paul’s call to “stir into flame” invites every believer to take personal responsibility for nurturing the fire of faith, especially in a parish like ours, where the spark of mission must be kept alive in every church, hall, home, and heart.

This Sunday’s readings reinforce this challenge. Habakkuk cries out to God amidst violence and despair, and God responds with a vision that requires patient faith. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the apostles that faith, even as small as a mustard seed, can uproot trees. And Paul, in the same passage, reminds Timothy that “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” This weekend's theme of the “Gift of Faith” invites us not to see faith as a passive possession, but as a dynamic flame. Faith is a gift, yes, but it is also a task. It must be exercised, stretched, lived, and set ablaze.

As we begin this month-long reflection on this verse on 2 Timothy 1:6, perhaps we can see it as an opportunity to reignite the fire of discipleship. Let us start by asking ourselves: What gift has God given me that I’ve neglected? What grace have I received that I’ve let go dormant? Who needs the fire of my faith to warm their life right now? Perhaps this week, you can take time to tend your interior fire- through prayer, through Scripture, through service. Ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle what has grown cold. Then go, and bring that flame into the lives of others. Stir it into flame.