Titus 2:1-8, 11-14 / Luke 17:7-10
Whenever we talk about a matured person, we are also talking with some assumptions as well as even presumptions.
For example, we may say that a mature person isn't defined by age as much by action and the way that person handles life's challenges.
Besides that, there are also other perspectives of maturity, like psychological maturity and legal maturity.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul was obviously talking about spiritual maturity. And he linked spiritual maturity with the advancement in age and seniority.
In short, he was saying that the older men and women of the community should be models of holiness and spiritual maturity to the younger generation.
At the basis of it all, they must not be the cause of scandal and hence disgrace the message of God.
When we work for the good and lead religious lives, then nobody can ever make any real objections to us or have any accusations to make against us.
Yet the motive for living a matured spiritual life is not just for our good but as witnesses of the Good News it is essentially our duty.
We, like our forefathers of the faith, are servants of the Good News that brings salvation to all.
And as servants of the Lord, we work for no reward on earth other than the eternal reward that is awaiting us. That is the first step in the growth of spiritual maturity.