All runners in the stadium are trying to win
When I first moved into my old house I had a neighbor across the street. At the time she was elderly and a widow. She was totally blind but do not think for a moment that she was handicapped in anyway. Her husband before he died had laid a concrete path for her to walk to exercise. She walked for at least a half hour each day. She cooked for herself and gardened. Once per week she would entertain a garden group of ladies. She was well read with audio books. This lady lived a full life and just like the runner in the picture above was in a race to win.
In our first reading today Saint Paul writes, All the runners in the stadium are trying to win, but only one of them gets the prize. You must run in the same way, meaning to win. All the fighters at the games go into strict training; they do this just to win a wreath that will wither away, but we do it for a wreath that will never wither.
To run a race takes patience, planning and training. To win a fight takes patience, planning and training. To live life takes patience, planning and training.
My neighbor was training for a race. Her husband helped her, but she did the work. She never complained but lived her life as if she would win the race. Today we commemorate the 3000 plus people who died in the tragedy that happened on this date September 11, 2001. It has been nineteen years and the heroes of that tragedy are still suffering and die. We pray for the people their families and all the first-responders that are still falling victims to this date.
In our Gospel today Jesus speaks that we have to prepare to lead someone else. He says, Hypocrite!
No one likes to be called a Hypocrite. So Jesus offers the remedy, take the plank out of your own eye first. Here come Saint Paul again because we need patience, planning and training to remove the plank and help others.
Just like my neighbor we need to plan. Plan to win. Set goals and work at it every day. Just like my neighbor we need the patience to help others and ourselves. I think patience is the hardest thing to do. We all can’t win an earthly prize but the heavenly is what is important. Just like my neighbor we need to train everyday to win.
Never lose sight of the goal and the wreath that will never wither.
Today please pray for the victims and families of 9-11. Today many are still dying from the after effects who also need our prayers. I try every day to not be discouraged and need help pulling the plank from my own eye.
Happy training.
God Bless you always
Bob Burford
