Glory be to Jesus Christ!
What did you prefer to run in track? Were you a hurdle jumper, a sprinter or a long distance runner?
In our reading today the Lord outlines the difficulties that His disciples will face trying to preach the Gospel to the world. Not only those in the synagogues, but members of their own families will betray them to death. Yet, in the midst of this troubling news He tells them not to worry or be anxious, because through their endurance and faithfulness to the end they will be saved. He tells them to keep their eyes focused on Him and even if they come to death they will be victorious. They are not running a sprint, but are in a distance race.
A distance runner can’t use the sensations he experiences while running to gauge if he should keep going. Just as a runner experiences the burning in his muscles, and the his whole body telling him to just quit, but he keeps going, so are we Christians called to remain faithful despite the reception our message receives in the world. Let us always remember we are running the race for and towards the One who has overcome the world!
Christ is Born!
