26 January 2015
Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops
Saint Ignatius of Loyola hardly knew his mother because she died shortly after his birth. The young Ignatius was raised by a nurse, Maria de Garin, who taught him to pray. After the marriage of his elder brother, Martin, Ignatius’ sister-in-law, Magdalena de Araoz, became a mother figure to him. Magdalena’s religious books later became pivotal in Ignatius’ conversion.
In Saint Paul’s letter to Timothy, we hear a story similar to that of Saint Ignatius in which there are two women who play pivotal roles in Timothy’s life: his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Saint Paul believed that Timothy inherited his faith from these two women. Let us pause for a moment and remember our own grandmother and mother, or any maternal figure that has played an important role in our lives. Let us count all of the blessings and love that we have received from them.