Letters Titus and Philemon

1:1 From Paul, servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ to bring those whom God has chosen (God chooses all who sincerely “ask to be chosen!) to faith and to the knowledge of the truth that leads to true religion (The “true religion” was spoken into being on earth for all who would “ask to be chosen” by The Prophesied Son of God with His Church-Creating Word to one person on earth: “And I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.”)

1:2 and to give them the hope of the eternal life that was promised so long ago by God. He does not lie (Since He “does not lie”, every Word of The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is Truth.)

1:3 and so, at the appointed time, He revealed His decision, and, by the command of God our Savior, I have been commissioned to proclaim it.

1:4 To Titus, true child of mine in the faith that we share, wishing you grace and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our savior.

St. Paul’s first concern is establishing sound structure for Catholic Churches Timothy will be founding in Crete:

1:5 The reason I left you behind in Crete was for you to get everything organized there and appoint elders in every town, in the way that I told you:

1:6 (St. Paul gives 11 ways to determine those who may not be “elders”): that is, each of them must be (1) a man of irreproachable character; (2) he must not have been married more than once, and (3) his children must be believers and (4) not uncontrollable (5) or liable to be charged with disorderly conduct.

1:7 Since, as president, he will be God’s representative, (6) he must be irreproachable: (7) never an arrogant (8) or hot-tempered man, (9) nor a heavy drinker or (10) violent, (11) nor out to make money;

1:8 (St. Paul shares 9 requirements for that “elders” must meet): but (1) a man who is hospitable and (2) a friend of all that is good; (3) sensible, (4) moral, (5) devout and (6) self- controlled;

1:9 and (7) he must have a firm grasp of the unchanging message of the tradition, so that he (8) can be counted on for both (9) expounding the sound doctrine and (9) refuting those who argue against it.

St. Paul tells Timothy how “elders” must deal with people:

1:10 And in fact you have there a great many people who need to be disciplined, who talk nonsense and try to make others believe it, particularly among those of the Circumcision. (Those who have been circumcised, like Protestants of every age, think they have some qualification that allows them into Heaven no matter what they do.)

1:11 (It is important to maintain discipline among complainers!): They have got to be silenced: men of this kind ruin whole families, by teaching things that they ought not to, and doing it with the vile motive of making money. (Paul concisely explains what motivates many who make a living getting Catholics to leave the Catholic Church and give money to them.)

1:12 lt was one of themselves, one of their own prophets, who said ‘Cretans were never anything but liars, dangerous animals, and lazy’ (That comes from Epimenides,
a Cretan poet from the sixth century BC.),

1:13 and that is a true statement. (Is there any people of whom that cannot be said?) So you will have to be severe in correcting them, and make them sound in the faith

1:14 so that they stop taking notice of Jewish myths and doing what they are told to do by people who are no longer interested in the truth. (They are “interested” in getting money from everyone they can! You must point out every person’s “interest” that causes disagreement with Any Word of Jesus and correct it.)

1:15 To all who are pure themselves, everything is pure; but to those who have been corrupted and lack faith, nothing can be pure – the corruption is both in their minds and in their consciences. (Catholics apply that awareness of “corruption” to thoughts and desires in our “minds” and “consciences” to strive for obedience to God instead of following earthly temptations.)

1:16 They claim to have knowledge of God (Every anti-Catholic for the past 2,000 years has make that “claim”!) but the things they do are nothing but a denial of Him; (as a result of their “denial”) they are outrageously rebellious and quite incapable of doing good.

2:1 It is for you, then, to preach the behavior which goes with sound (Catholic) doctrine.

2:2 The older men should (be living examples and) be reserved, dignified, moderate, sound in faith, and love, and constancy.

2:3 Similarly, the older women should behave as though they were religious (living as Holy Sisters), with no scandalmongering and no habitual wine-drinking – they are to be the teachers of the right behavior

2:4 and show the younger women how they should love their husbands and love their children,

2:5 how they are to be sensible and chaste, and how to work in their homes, and be gentle, and do as their husbands tell them, so that the message of God is never disgraced.

2:6 In the same way, you must persuade the younger men to be moderate

2:7 and in everything you do make yourself an example to them of working for good: when you are teaching, be an example to them in your sincerity and earnestness

2:8 and in keeping all that you stay so wholesome that nobody can make objections to it; and then any opponent will be at a loss, with no accusation to make against us. (Every mistake that a Catholic makes is uses as an excuse for others to not “Be Catholic”!)

How the lowest-ranking Catholics may be saved by obedience:

2:9 Tell the slaves that they are to be obedient to their masters and always do what they want without any argument;

2:10 and there must be no petty thieving – they must show complete honesty at all times, so that they are in every way a credit to the teaching of God our savior.

The Christian moral life is centered on getting our souls into Heaven:

2:11 You see, God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible (“Salvation” is possible for those who strive to obey Jesus.) for the whole human race (is given Free Will and may choose that soul-saving obedience.)

2:12 and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world,

2:13 while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the Appearing of the glory of our great God and savior Christ Jesus. (Who Fulfilled over 300 Prophecies when He came to earth in Human Form, born of a Virgin of The House of David in the tiny village of Bethlehem.)

2:14 He sacrificed Himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness (Galatians 1:4) and to purify a people so that it could be His very own and would have no ambition except to do good. (Wow! Those few words can save us: “Have no ambition except to do good!”)

2:15 Now this is what you are to say, whether you are giving instruction or correcting errors; you can do so with full authority, and no one is to question it.

3:1 Remind them that it is their duty to be obedient to the officials and representatives of the government; to be ready to do good at every opportunity. (Not an accident that came first! We must never give authorities reasons to attack God’s Church and people.)

3:2 not to go slandering other people or picking quarrels, but to be courteous and always polite to all kinds of people. (Similarly, we never want to give any neighbors reasons to not be Catholic.)

3:3 Remember, there was a time when we too were ignorant, disobedient and misled and enslaved by different passions and luxuries; we lived then in wickedness and ill-will, hating each other and hateful ourselves. (What a perfect description of what we were and of those we encourage to “Be Catholic”.)

3:4 But when the kindness and love of God our savior for mankind were revealed,

3:5 it was not because He was concerned with any righteous actions we might have done ourselves; it was for no reason except His own compassion that He saved us, by means of the cleansing water of rebirth and by renewing us with the Holy Spirit

3:6 which he has so generously poured over us through Jesus Christ our savior. (He loved us so much that He died for us. May we guide our lives to greater love for both God and our neighbors.)

3:7 He did this so that we should be justified by His grace, to become heirs looking forward to inheriting eternal life.

3:8 This is doctrine that you can rely on.

St. Paul continues with personal advice to Titus and tells each one of us:

I want you to be quite uncompromising in teaching all this, so that those who now believe in God may keep their minds constantly occupied in doing good works. All this is good, and will do nothing but good to everybody.

3:9 But avoid pointless speculations (Catholics know the word “speculation” includes self- serving religious, philosophical, political, scientific, environmental, and financial “speculations” regarding investments, properties, and ventures.), and those genealogies, and the quibbles and disputes about the Law – these are useless and can do no good to anyone.

3:10 If a man disputes what you teach, then after a first and a second warning, have no more to do with him: (When resistance to loving God and our neighbors overcomes two repeated attempts to replace self-worship, a soul may be too lost to be found.)

3:11 you will know that any man of that sort has already lapsed and condemned himself as a sinner. (This more frightening to us Catholics than it is to those who think they have done something good by supporting abortion and other sins against God and neighbor that they use to widen the gulf between them and God. This teaching saves us from wasting a lot of time and effort that could be better spent elsewhere!)

Practical recommendations, farewells and good wishes

3:12 As soon as I have sent Artemas (the name means what the family of Artemas used to do: “Follow Artemis”!) or Tychicus (His name is perfect for Catholics, meaning ‘fortunate” or “lucky!”) to you, lose no time in joining me at Nicopolis, where I have decided to spend the winter.

3:13 See to all the travelling arrangements for Zenas (another Grecian convert from the name “gift of Zeus”) the lawyer and Apollos (“follower of Apollo”), and make sure they have everything they need. (Interesting how so many with Grecian familiarity with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle made so many converts to Catholicism!)

3:14 All our people are to learn to occupy themselves in doing good works for their practical needs as well, and not to be entirely unproductive. (We must do something useful with our lives and not waste our fleeting moments on “speculation”!)

3:15 All those who are with me (Every Catholic in the world!) send their greetings. Greetings to those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

End of The Letter to Titus.

1:1 From Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus and from our brother Timothy; to our dear fellow worker Philemon (“Philemon” is another Greek Word, probably describing another Grecian convert to Catholicism, that means: “loving” or “affectionate”. It describes what every rich person, like the rest of us, should strive to be.)

1:2 our sister Apphia,(Another Greek name that means “fruitful” or “increasing”, just as the number of Greek converts of whom we are aware is “increasing”!) our fellow soldier Archippus (Also a Greek name, meaning “master of the horse” or “horseman”) and the church that meets in your house; (That “house” is owned by Philemon, showing that he had property rights to a sizable dwelling that he gave to St. Paul for Catholic “meetings”.

1:3 wishing you the grace and the peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The use of his house prompted grateful prayers of Thanksgiving from Paul for Philemon:

1:4 I always mention you in my prayers and thank God for you,

1:5 because I hear of the love and the faith which you have for the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.

1:6 I pray that this faith will give rise to a sense of fellowship that will show you all the good things that we are able to do for Christ. (May every rich person be aware of what he or she may do for The Same Catholic Church whose members met in Philemon’s “house” or estate.)

1:7 I am so delighted, and comforted, to know of your love; they tell me, brother, how you have put new heart into the saints.

Now, Paul asks Philemon for another gift!

1:8 Now, although in Christ I can have no diffidence about telling you to do whatever is your duty, (Paul very carefully says he is not ordering Philemon to provide this gift, but is relying on what he learned as a Catholic to provide it):

1:9 I am appealing to your love instead, reminding you that this is Paul writing, an old man now and, what is more, still a prisoner of Christ Jesus. (Paul is reminding Philemon of his own life and long times of his life’s sacrifice to Jesus and making this “appeal”):

1:10 I am appealing to you for a child of mine (another indication of the DNA change we make when we become Catholic to make us a “child of God”.) whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus. (He is appealing to Philemon to free his slave, Onesimus. A slave was worth about two years salary for a Roman soldier, which is one reason so many enlisted. The “pay” they received for selling captives was far greater than their salary! If we apply today’s average “soldier salary” of $40,000.00, we see that St. Paul is asking Philemon to “donate” at least $80,000.00 to set Onesimus free. Slaves who could read and write, as we assume Onesimus could, were worth even more.)

1:11 He was of no use to you before (prior to becoming a good and faithful Catholic), but he will be useful to you now (For praying for God to bless your immortal soul at Judgment.), as he has been to me.

1:12 I am sending him back to you, and with him , I could say, a part of my own self. (We see that a “DNA Upgrade” comes to us as we encourage people to “Be Catholic”.)

1:13 I should have liked to keep him with me; he could have been a substitute for you, to help me while I am in the chains that the Good News has brought me.

1:14 However, I did not want to do anything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act of kindness, which should be spontaneous.

1:15 I know you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, but it was only so that you could have him back for ever,

1:16 not as a slave any more, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, as a blood-brother as well as a brother in the Lord.

1:17 So if all that we have in common means anything to you, welcome him as you would me;

1:18 but if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, then let me pay for it.

1:19 I am writing this in my own handwriting: I, Paul, shall pay it back and I will not add any mention of your own debt to me, which is yourself. (Actually, Paul is “mentioning” that!)

1:20 Well then, brother, I am counting on you, in the Lord; put new heart into me, in Christ.

1:21 I am writing with complete confidence in your compliance, sure that you will do even more than I ask.

Then, Paul asks prosperous Philemon to pay for something else!

1:22 There is another thing: will you get a place ready for me to stay in? I am hoping through your prayers to be restored to you. (Did Paul want him to buy or rent a house? Or, to provide an apartment in his?)

1:23 Epaphras (Still another Greek name, meaning “lovely” or “charming”), a prisoner with me in Christ Jesus, sends his greetings;

1:24 so do my colleagues Mark (the name comes from the Greek God “Mars”, meaning “warlike” or “dedicated to Mars”), Aristarchus (Another Greek name, meaning “best ruler”, Demas (One more Greek name, meaning “popular” or “of the people” and Luke. (Luke, who wrote more than one quarter of the New Testament, also had a probably Greek name meaning “light” or “light giving”. Seldom has a name been so appropriate.

May “The light that IS Luke” shine upon every reader of the New Testament and let all see the way to The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church Spoken Into Being by The Church- Creating Word of He Who Fulfilled The Prophecies to His First Catholic Pope:

“And I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heven.”)

1:25 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

There is no “end” to Philmon, nor is there an “end” to the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being with every faithful Catholic’s spirit.”