Running with Paul

The apostle did not make use of his power of being maintained at the charges of those to whom he preached, that he might give no hindrance to the gospel. Of running in the race and striving for the mastery.

[1] Am not I free? Am not I an apostle? Have not I seen Christ Jesus our Lord? Are not you my work in the Lord? [2] And if unto others I be not an apostle, but yet to you I am. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. [3] My defence with them that do examine me is this. [4] Have not we power to eat and to drink? [5] Have we not power to carry about a woman, a sister, as well as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

[5] "A woman, a sister"... Some erroneous translators have corrupted this text by rendering it, a sister, a wife: whereas, it is certain, St. Paul had no wife (chap. 7 ver. 7, 8) and that he only speaks of such devout women, as, according to the custom of the Jewish nation, waited upon the preachers of the gospel, and supplied them with necessaries.

[6] Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to do this? [7] Who serveth as a soldier at any time, at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth the flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Speak I these things according to man? Or doth not the law also say these things? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses: Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that plougheth, should plough in hope; and he that thrasheth, in hope to receive fruit.

....
[21] To them that are under the law, as if I were under the law, (whereas myself was not under the law,) that I might gain them that were under the law. To them that were without the law, as if I were without the law, (whereas I was not without the law of God, but was in the law of Christ,) that I might gain them that were without the law. [22] To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all. [23] And I do all things for the gospel's sake: that I may be made partaker thereof. [24] Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. [25] And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.
Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible  1st Epistle Of Saint Paul To The Corinthians

Think of an hexagon. Like one of the three you can see on the floor in the cathedral of Florence - opposite the left pews in the choir - and then (we are made in the image of God was today the gist of Fr's homily on Holy Trinity Sunday) write along its three top lines GOD SON HOLY SPIRIT  and in the bottom ones HOPE FAITH CHARITY. Now starting from the top draw a cross rooted in the latter and stretching up to the top. Jesus arms stretching in the middle of the hexagon. Kneel on those footprints. Cross yourself and GO!


A special Happy Father Day to all those leaders in the spiritual race - may each of your day start in the Trinity :) (i know it's an upside tree with its trunk rooted in Heaven...)