Word to the Wise
Friday, September 10, 2010 - Friday in the Twenty-third week in Ordinary Time
[1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27 and Luke 6:39-42]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.]
This passage from St. Paul is a favorite of mine. Anyone whose profession requires a lot of travel knows the toll that it takes on body and spirit! There is an "asceticism of the road!" Since I am an itinerant preacher I know the experience of waking up in the morning disoriented and wondering where I am! On which side of the bed is my alarm?! St. Paul was an itinerant preacher and speaks eloquently, especially in 2 Corinthians, of his experiences "on the road." If I do not maintain myself, I have no business preaching about it to others. But we do not have to be itinerant to know the necessity of "staying in shape." If our doctors don't tell us we're in need of exercise and healthy eating regimes, our bodies eventually will, and that drags the spirit in as well! The T-shirt expression: "My body is my own!" is misleading. We are stewards of the body that we are. We are also stewards of the faith we profess. It is quite possible to become a spiritual "couch potato!" Some folks just sigh and deny the whole thing. Whatever is comfortable is what works. That is not how Jesus described discipleship! The sad stories I hear of broken marriages or friendships which occur because the parties concerned are unwilling to keep these relationships "in shape," are frustrating because they are so unnecessary. The same is true of our relationship to God. Yes, some folks do manage an annual "retreat." I applaud this as long as it is accompanied by a regular regime of prayer, study, loving relationships and outreach to neighbor! If the retreat is the only thing, then too much is being expected of it. Those who do try to maintain a good regime do not have to worry about overtly preaching to others about how good a shape one is in,spiritually. It will show in many ways. If we wait till the Olympic Games to remind ourselves of the necessity of exercise, we may be too late. If we wait till some trauma occurs before we pray, we may find our resources depleted. Yes, it takes discipline and effort, which is precisely what discipleship requires. AMEN
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