Prayer Prompt before reading LK 6:39-42: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father is and God the Son so that I may know who I am.
“RUN SO AS TO WIN.” 1 COR 9:22-27
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race,
but only one wins the prize?
Run so as to win.
Every athlete exercises discipline in every way.
They do it to win a perishable crown,
but we an imperishable one.
Thus I do not run aimlessly;
I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing.
No, I drive my body and train it,
for fear that, after having preached to others,
I myself should be disqualified. 1 Cor 9:22-27
Today, St. Paul is trying to motivate us to train ourselves in the ways of Christ, virtues, so that when we are called to lead others we do not put ourselves above them. If we do, we risk being a hypocrite, and most importantly risk our salvation. It is easy to become self-righteous.
Paul finishes by telling us to give all. If we are going to give ourselves to Christ and seek our heavenly homeland, hold nothing back. We are not called to be comfortable or reserved. Bishop Barron says to live in a “risky freedom”. This requires supreme trust, something I lack. Jesus responds, “Do not be afraid”. This was timely news during the pandemic.
Jesus continues His teaching on how to treat our neighbor. He warns us to choose carefully who we follow. When we find a teacher who is not self-righteous, but recognizes his/her own need for salvation and is humble, this is the teacher or spiritual director we must listen to to train ourselves.
Obviously, Jesus is the Master teacher but it is important to have a spiritual director, too. Someone we can ask questions and who will guide us in the ways of prayer, suffering, training in virtues, and pushing us to “run so as to win the race”.
Today’s challenge: Be All In! God is all in for you. He gave all. The only response to this radical love is to love Him back with a radical love!
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; we will live again!)
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