Companionship

After the Apostle Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus (which we remember on January 25), he realized that he needed companions to respond faithfully to his new call to spread the Good News.

January 26 is the day we remember two of Paul’s trusted companions, Timothy and Titus. These were young men whom Paul called up and gave responsibilities to encourage and strengthen the followers of Jesus in Thessaloniki, Corinth, and Ephesus. Timothy and Titus walked with Paul on his missionary journeys and walked with the Jesus followers as they assumed more responsibilities. Timothy became bishop of Ephesus; Titus became bishop of Corinth.

Acts 2 reminds us that when the Holy Spirit filled the followers of Jesus, “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” and “day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

“Companion” means “With Bread” (from Latin). Companions break bread together, share joys and sorrows, and grow together through mutual support, nurturing faith together.

When I served on the Standing Commission on World Mission, we prepared “Becoming a World Where Love is the Way” which highlighted the guiding principles of world mission and shared compelling stories of being present with others, as Jesus became incarnate and was present with us.

Companionship is an important guiding principle for all mission relationships, global and local.

As companions in mission, we are open to one another, learning from one another, and through that experience being transformed as we reach a deeper understanding of what it means to be Christians together, even across boundaries that might otherwise divide.

One of the guiding principles is to “walk humbly the Way of Love with our companions in mission, in mutual discovery and deepening of God’s reconciling love, learning together, praying together, worshipping together, as we transform and bless each other.”

Each week we pray for our current Companion Relationship with Honduras. In our previous Companion Relationship with the Virgin Islands, a Prayer for Our Companion Relationship, which the Virgin Islands partners wrote, guided our humble walk together:

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we ask your blessings and favor upon our Companion Relationship between the Diocese of Alabama and the Diocese of the Virgin Islands. May we fully commit to praying diligently and unceasingly for the success of all our missions, that through this relationship we are bound to share our love of Christ and of each other, to share our knowledge and resources, to further the understanding of the reconciliation of all Christians to God, to support and to help those who are in need, and to nourish the spiritually deficient for the furtherance of God’s kingdom. Amen.

Who are our companions on our journey with Jesus?

Epiphany Blessings, Judy Q +