Pentecost Sunday Reading: Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Gal 5:16-25; Jn 20:19-23 or Jn 15:26-27; 16:12-15

For most of my life, I’ve dreamed about what it would be like to be a professional athlete. I’ve thought about the feeling I would have listening to the Star Spangled Banner under the lights of Madison Square Garden. I’ve contemplated throwing the game-winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium.

And my favorite and most recurring fantasy, I’ve pondered the feeling I would get as I hit a walk-off homerun to win the 7th game of the World Series. (And yes . . . I’ve even practiced my homerun trot.)

Alas, none of these will ever happen. My life hasn’t ended up the way I dreamt when I was a young boy, so I had to settle for “taking my talents” to the old man softball field. And, I’m ok with that. Really. It’s fine. But little did I know what awaited me at the finish line of my first marathon.

Running a marathon was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, ranking right up there with the week I spent commercial salmon fishing in Bristol Bay, Alaska. (That’s another blog for another day.) It took a huge toll on me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. But, as I crossed the finish line of this 26.2-mile race, it was as if I was transported into a whole other world.

Where Am I?

The first thing that I noticed in the few seconds after finishing was that the pain I felt throughout much of the race had subsided tremendously. In conjunction with this feeling, there were people there to greet me, congratulate me, and give me water. They wrapped me in a robe to help me get warm, and they took my picture.

Then they pointed me toward the feast that was prepared and told me to eat as much as I wanted. Seriously! No homerun trot could be better than this! There was fruit, Gatorade, Jamba Juice, frozen yogurt, bagels, and more. Everyone was so happy I was there. It was as if they had been waiting for me for a long time. This seemed like a place I had heard about before . . .

“Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of its street. On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there anymore” (Revelation 22:1-3).

The finish line of my marathon was a little taste of heaven. Once I got there and was showered with so much love and joy, all the pain and struggle of my race made sense. But without these difficult times, the celebration at the finish line wouldn’t have been as special.

Your Life has a Finish Line

Every single one of us is running a race called life. In this “race,” there will be good times and bad. There will be times of happiness and times of suffering. And while all of us would love to find perfect joy in this life, we never will.

Life is hard. We will feel pain, but the pain we face as we struggle along in our journey will one day make sense as we reach our “finish line” and experience perfect joy for all eternity in heaven. It is here where we will be welcomed for who we are, congratulated on the “race” we ran, and showered with an eternal feast the likes of which we could never have imagined. You see, no matter what we may face in this life, it’s worth it because of what lies ahead in the next.

• It’s in heaven where we realize that we were capable of more than we thought.
• It’s in heaven where our plan to grow in holiness is fulfilled in God’s greater plan of salvation.
• It’s in heaven where the little things we do each day to grow in relationship with Jesus Christ fully pay off.
• It’s in heaven where the pain and suffering we faced in our “race” is completely wiped away.
• It’s in heaven where we experience an eternal celebration with the community that was cheering us on.
• It’s in heaven where the investment of our whole heart makes us richer than we could have ever dreamed.
• And it is in heaven where we finish what we started when we chose to journey through that narrow gate and down that constricted road (Matthew 7:14).

Every second of my training for the marathon was worth it. All the time. All the energy. All the suffering. All the sacrifice. But it didn’t fully make sense until I crossed that finish line. So whatever “race” you are running, whatever time you are spending with our Lord, whatever energy you are putting into your battle to live a holy life, whatever suffering you are experiencing, and whatever sacrifices you are making to grow closer to Christ, remember that this life is only a training.

And while you may get a taste of heaven from time to time, all of your effort will not fully make sense until you reach the ultimate goal, salvation of your soul and eternal life in heaven (1 Peter 1:9).

Read more from Eric about the lessons he learned while running a marathon:

• You’re Capable of More Than You Think
• You’ve Got to Have a Plan
• How to Persevere in Your Faith
• Don’t Give Up Because of Pain and Failure
• Community Matters
• Where’s Your Heart?

A couple of weeks ago Beyonce was given the title of “World’s Most Beautiful Woman” from People Magazine. I feel like once you’ve got that award in your back pocket you can either:

• A) Finally allow yourself to wear sweatpants all the time (at which point you wouldn’t actually have a back pocket), or
• B) Gaze at yourself in the mirror for endless hours and let your pride shoot up like jack’s beanstalk.

No really, congrats Beyonce, you are gorgeous and have cleared up any confusion about how far I have to go to reach the plane you exist on.

. . . If I were trying to reach that level of beauty. But honestly, I can think of a lot titles I’d rather have than “World’s Most Beautiful.” (Like “Patron Saint of gluten free people.”) Beauty is just so fleeting.

I don’t know much about Beyonce (and I’m not giving my stamp of approval on everything she’s said and done) but it seems like she might agree. She said about receiving the award, “It’s really about who you are, the human being that makes you beautiful.” Then she said that the award means so much more to her since she was given the title after she became a mother.

Beyonce and Blue Ivy (The name Blue is no longer just for a cartoon dog!)

Guess what? Beyonce is un-knowingly (Or maybe knowingly? I don’t know if she reads apostolic letters in her free time . . . ) echoing Blessed John Paul II. He said in his letter “On the Dignity and Vocation of Women” that in motherhood a woman realizes and expresses her deepest “self” because of the gift of herself she’s made to another human being and the mystery she’s taken part in – the mystery of God allowing us to share in His creative act. (Mulieris Dignitatem, 18)

What also blows my mind is that every time motherhood happens, it’s like a renewal and reminder of the covenant that God made with us through the motherhood of Mary, which brought our Savior into the world. (Mulieris Dignitatem, 19) Moms get to follow in the footsteps of the Blessed Mother, who through her fiat blessed the role of motherhood forever.

World's Most Beautiful Woman for Eternity

Take that People Magazine. What you intended to be a superficial award, Beyonce and JPII took to the next level.

How amazing is that? A couple things to take from this:

1. Mary is truly the world’s most beautiful woman of ALL time because she said “Yes” to God and through her life and motherhood showed us what true femininity is.
2. Beyonce, while beautiful, had to admit that her motherhood makes her feel even more beautiful. She probably doesn’t realize it, but this is because Mary sanctified the role of mothers for all eternity and because motherhood is a share in God’s creation act and is a self-gift!
3. So in other words – it just sucks for me if I’m not a mother? No, God isn’t like that! There’s this awesome thing called “Spiritual Motherhood” which you can read about in Mulieris Dignitatem paragraph 21.
4. Do you realize what I’m saying? You don’t have to buy the best clothes, compare yourself to others, or spend hours at the gym to be happy, fulfilled, and draw others to you – in a word, to be beautiful. It’s about who you are, how you serve others, and how you cooperate with God’s plan for you.

I’m prettty sure that’s what Beyonce was saying . . . if you read between the lines.

Readings for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Eph 1:17-23 or Eph 4:1-13; Mk 16:15-20

Dear Mary,

Nat

Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4; 1 Jn 4:7-10; Jn 15:9-17

Our friends at RosaryArmy.com have some great instructions for how to make your own rope rosary. Do something meaningful (and super Catholic) with some of your free time and get together with your friends or youth group to make a bunch of rosaries for yourselves, or to give away. You could even make small rosaries that are just one decade and wear it on your wrist as a witness and reminder to pray.

The month of May is dedicated to Mary; so it’s the perfect time to put your fingers to good use and make a rosary.

“The holy rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results.” – St. Josemaria Escriva

• Download printable instructions
• Watch an instructional video
• Get supplies to make a rosary

You know what will get you absolutely nowhere? Comparing yourself to other people. It’s pointless and Jesus doesn’t like it. I know He’s not a fan because He isn’t comparing us to everyone else (Psalm 139:14).

So why on earth do I want to compare myself to other people? I take that back. I don’t want to . . . my mind is obliged to compare myself to everyone. (Okay, so maybe that’s slightly dramatic.)

Last week I ran in a race and a couple times I was reduced to the “I feel hot and nauseous; I’m so over this” jog that is very slow (if you’ve never experienced it for yourself). And you know who did NOT motivate me? The 70 year old next to me who was speed walking at the same (if not a faster) pace than me. Come on. Really?

It’s in moments like this, and other times when I feel like I’m not good enough, that I ask myself, “Why can’t I be more like that person? They must be so much better than I am.”

But . . .

• What if St. Therese only wanted to be like St. Clare?
• What if there were no soccer players because they all thought football was cooler?
• What if everyone thought plaid or neon was cool so no one wore anything else? (Wait, bad example – that may or may not be actually happening.)
• What if we had no doctors because everyone just had to be interior designers?

The point is that God made us different and it just doesn’t help to compare yourself to other people. So let’s just stop. There will always be someone better than you at something. There will always be someone who you think it more attractive than you, or who in your mind has better talents. You have to constantly remind yourself of the truth that you are enough just as you are.

I have a hard time with comparing myself to everyone . . . in just about any situation. But I am uniquely me for a reason. You’re you for a reason. And Jesus wants us that way. Jesus doesn’t compare us because He’s so in love with who we are right now. Let’s ask for the grace to see ourselves like He sees us.

“If you are who you should be you will set the world on fire.” St. Catherine of Siena

I’m praying for you.

Readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter: Acts 9:26-31; Ps 22:26-27, 28, 30, 31-32; 1 Jn 3:18-24; Jn 15:1-8