This saint exhorted his disciple to rebuke with all patience…

   January 25 -- The Conversion of St. Paul

When St. Paul felt the call of death, he called St. Timothy to his side and exhorted him:

"Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and which have been committed to thee...I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the living and the dead, by His coming and His kingdom:  Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, entreat, rebuke with all patience and doctrine.  For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine...and will turn away indeed their hearing from the truth but will be turned to fables." 2nd Epistle to St. Timothy.

St. Paul, through Divine Inspiration, warned Timothy about the heresies which were circulating in the Church, both in their time and in the times to come.

Throughout the ages, innumerable people did not want to hear the orthodox Catholic doctrine and today, is no exception and perhaps, this sad state is even worse.

It is much "easier" to believe in "fables" than to believe in true Catholic teaching.

To counteract this, St. Paul counseled Timothy:

"Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and which have been committed to thee: knowing of whom thou hast learned."

In other words, persevere in the traditions which have been past down and are immutable and spread these teachings everywhere and in every way possible.

This is the blueprint for every Catholic to know how to be faithful and to do an apostolate.  Let us ask St. Paul for the fullness of his spirit.