A cheer broke through my concentration as I sat at my desk working. I looked out the window to the yard behind my apartment. Through the trees, I saw people running. I then remembered that the Dublin marathon was on that day. I thought, how neat it was that everyone would be running right by my apartment! I grabbed my jacket and quickly ran out to watch the race.
I always thought races were only about the runners. But they’re not. There were young and old alike out on the side of the street watching the contestants huff and puff.
There was a lady clapping as they ran by. Another man shouted out encouraging words, “well done” and “keep going, lads”.
There were tables set up with water bottles for people to grab as they went by. Of course, volunteers were required to unpack six packs of bottles as quickly as they could while others held the bottles out to make it easier for the runners to grab them on the run.
Then there was the man and women who were. singing to the runners. “It’s a long way, to Tipperary. It’s a long way to go.” You could see the smiles on the faces of the runners. It was uplifting.
It dawned on me. The folks on the side of the road, are a lot like the Communion of Saints. They are encouraging us as we run the race. Some offer prayers, like the man and women who were simply cheering the runners on. Some are offering spiritual water when we need it. We need only to ask for their intercession. Others provide a consolation to uplift our soul as we experience the pain associated with the race.
Marathons are difficult. In many cases, there is great pain involved. At times, the hills seem insurmountable. But the goal is to reach the finish line. And when we do, we know we have accomplished something. But we don’t do it alone.
Even if we were not fully aware, there were many people along the way who were helping us. It’s like that in life too. As we run our race, there are those that went before us who are, in fact, cheering us on, whether or not we are aware. Let’s thank God for the Communion of Saints!
Learning about the lives of the Saints is a great way to deepen our love of God and recommit us to His service. We are reminded of how the Lord works in the lives of ordinary people, helping us to conquer sin.
Amazing Angels & Super Saints – Episode 1
Amazing Angels & Super Saints – Episode 2
These CDs are based on Cat Chat which is a Catholic Audio Show for kids ages 3-11 to help them learn and love their Faith like never before! Using prayer, great conversations, faith-filled stories, and catchy songs, each CD discusses the Catholic Faith while teaching kids powerful lessons for living out their Faith every day. Join Moses the Talking Cat, Papa, Josh, Hanna, and friends for an unforgettable experience!
Saints for Sinners – The Lives of St. Augustine and St. Margaret
In this excerpt from the book, Saints for Sinners, the incredible lives of these Saints testify to the truth of God’s transforming love in those who are willing to surrender their lives to Him. These are the stories of St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Margaret of Cortona.
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