Deserted Me
Boy! Tough way for St. Paul to start out today. His friends, Demas, Crescens, and Titus have deserted him. To desert someone probably implies they did not part on good terms. Which is a bit surprising because Titus is the name of one of the New Testament letters. There is a hint of hope of reconciliation in his letter. But Demas and Crescens we hear of no more. I imagine all of you reading this today can recall a time someone deserted you. May have been a close friend, a spouse, a colleague, or worse, someone you thought would support you but did not. And that hurts.
So what did St. Paul say about these deserters? “May God not hold this against them.” Did we, do we, do the same? Or are we still harboring anger and resentment?
Here’s a thought to remember. Even if you haven’t forgiven those who hurt you, God did when they asked for forgiveness. They can enter heaven. In heaven there is no place for anger or resentment. Why are you clutching it so tightly?
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen