RUNNING

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this Monday in Easter Week  is, “Running.”

I noticed that word in yesterday’s Gospel - the Easter Sunday Gospel - from John 20: 1-9.

Mary of Magdala ran back from the empty tomb to Simon Peter in John 20: 2. Then in verse 20: 4 Peter and the Beloved Disciple ran together to the tomb - but the Beloved Disciple ran faster.

Then in today’s gospel from Matthew 28: 8-15, Mary Magdalen and the other Mary are described as moving quickly - as well as running. Check Matthew 28:8.

The Greek word used is TRECHO - to run - to rush.

So how about a little thinking - and reflecting - on running for a Monday after Easter quick homily?

QUESTIONS

Do you still run?

Are you usually in a rush?

Compared to your parents, are you quicker or slower that they were usually.

My dad was always up early - ready to move - earlier than my mom - who was always there early as well - for wherever we were to go to next.

My dad  was lean and described as a runner when he was young.

I heard a man - seeing my mother  - in her late 70’s -  going up the Avenue in Brooklyn - saying, “Mrs. Costello you’re faster than a bus.”

How fast are you?

Is your mind faster than your legs?

Are you early or are you like me, usually close to late, sometimes late, but getting a lot of things done?

I picture myself - while driving from St. Mary’s - to here at St. John Neumann - looking at my watch 5 times while rushing to this Monday Mass every week at 12:10. I get out of the car and I love running, dashing - rushing into the sacristy and ready to start down the aisle at 12:10 and a half.

And I love to see people check their watch as I walk down the main aisle.

Are you a watch watcher?

QUOTES

Charles Joseph, Prince de Ligne [1735-1814], whoever he was, said of  the Congress of Vienna, “The Congress doesn’t run - it waltzes.”

Great quote, because some people never answer questions. They just waltz around an answer - sometimes.

How about you?

How do you see our congress?

Are you direct or indirect?

Do you think some people who are direct - should learn to button their lips more and unbutton their ears and mind - and rush to listen more and better?

What’s your attitude towards heaven? The hereafter?  Christ as the meaning of life?

What do you think of this quote from the Letter to the Hebrews:

“With so many witnesses in a great cloud on every side of us, we too, then, should throw off everything that hinders us, especially the sin that clings so easily, and keep running with patience in the race we have started. Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection….” [Hebrews 12: 1-2]

The scriptures - especially St. Paul like to use the image of getting to heaven as being in a race - with Christ as the finish prize.

In the meanwhile life sometimes is not as clear as a race - a beginning, the run, and then the finish line.

Life has a lot of possible side trips and distractions, surprises and possible delays because of road blocks.

Here’s a quote about love: Shakespeare in A Midsummer-Night’s Dream has someone say, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Act One, Scene One, line 132

If love, if marriage, was simply a marathon or a 10 K race, we might be able to keep our eye on the goal, but life is a long run - so too love.

No wonder the marriage vows have, “for better for worse, for richer for poorer….” 

CONCLUSION

In the long run - in a long life - it’s difficult to stay the course.

Keep moving. Keep running.

We’re not running for an empty tomb.

We’re running to find the full embrace of God the Father - and the arms on our shoulders in the moment - of Christ the Risen Lord.

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Painting on top: The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulcher on the Morning of the Resurrection [1898] bu Eugene Burnand [1850-1921]