Do you have someone who helps you to grow in your faith? Who, through their teaching and example, shows you what it means to be a Christian? You know you can count on their prayers and guidance.
I think of this type of person when I read St. Paul's letter to Timothy today. He writes:
"I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that I may be filled with joy, as I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and that I am confident lives also in you." (2 Timothy 1:3-5)
Paul is a type of "spiritual father" who acts as a friend and mentor for Timothy in his ministry. Paul prays for him and seeks to grow their friendship, and while he IS Timothy's mentor, also sees him as an equal. He acknowledges Timothy's strong faith and, in later verses, encourages him not to be discouraged, to bear his hardships with strength, and to strive to stay zealous for the Lord and his ministry.
I also appreciate the example of Timothy's mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois. Paul acknowledges their vital influence on Timothy's faith. They, too, were wonderful mentors for Timothy!
I say all this to illustrate how important mentors are in the faith journey. I encourage you again to reconsider the questions I asked at the start of this post...
Who are your mentors? These can include parents, friends, teachers, priests, campus ministers, people online, youth group leaders, etc. Take some time soon to reach out to them and let them know that you are praying for them and are grateful for their ministry!
More than that, who can you be a mentor for? Your younger siblings? Friends? Younger people at your parish? It doesn't have to be anything formal... no, "Can I be your mentor?!" needs to be said 😂 I hope and pray that I can help to mentor you in your faith through this blog!
So what are some practical ways to engage in mentorship and encourage those around you as St. Paul did for Timothy?
Pray! Choose someone (or a few people) and pray for them daily. And tell them! It's always super encouraging and gives my faith a little boost when I hear that someone has been praying for me.
Form closer friendships. Really take an interest in getting to know them.
Take the time to send an encouraging text message every once in a while.
If someone has questions about their faith, do your best to answer them! If you don't have an answer immediately, ask someone else, or find the answer from online! (Catholic Answers is my favorite resource).
Invite them for coffee/ to sit with you at lunch/ to youth group/ to go to Mass together sometimes. Simple things are always meaningful. 😊
We are all on this journey together, and when we can "encourage one another and build each other up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). You have the power to have a huge influence on someone's life and journey of faith. It's so beautiful to be able to serve others in this way. We have such a beautiful example from so many people in our faith, including, as we see today, Paul, Eunice, and Lois!
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