3RD WEEK OF EASTER

His face was like the face of an angel.

Finishing an Ironman Triathlon is one of the toughest challenges around.   Imagine the training an athlete needs in order to complete a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride, and a 26.22-mile marathon—all in one day!

Today’s first reading (Acts 6:8 -15) presents us with someone who had trained for the ultimate spiritual challenge: the ability to remain joyful and peaceful in every hard situation.   The fact that even his opponents saw the light of heaven in St. Stephen’s face is a testament to how committed he was to living in the Spirit.

If you were training for a triathlon, you would follow a strict regimen called SBR endurance—swimming, biking, and running.   Perhaps we could create a spiritual version of SBR: sacraments, the Bible, and refreshment.

Sacraments.
It’s not always easy to make it to Mass.   Tiredness, moodiness, kids’ opposition—these and many other obstacles try to convince us to go back to sleep some Sunday mornings.   But like an athlete in training, the more we get over that initial resistance, the more likely we will be to experience Jesus in the Eucharist and to receive his own strength and grace.

The Bible.
Any serious athlete is also a student.   Whether it’s training videos, playbooks, or coaching manuals, there is no lack of material available to help you hone your strategies.   Similarly, God has given us the stories, teachings, and commandments in the Bible “so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17).   When we study the Scriptures, we are opening ourselves to the grace and wisdom that God wants to pour into us.

Refreshment.
While athletes have “rest days” to reset and recover from their training, God offers us his rest every single day in prayer.   Day after day, Jesus invites us: “Come to me, all you who labor . . . , and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).   He has new gifts to offer us every day: fresh assurances of his presence and the peace that comes from knowing we are in his hands.

Training to be a disciple of Christ may not always be easy, but it certainly is worth the effort.

“Lord, make me more like Stephen.   Help me to run the good race.”

Psalm 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30
John 6:22-29