Competitive sports have never held much interest
to me, in part because I’m not very coordinated.
Also, I’ve witnessed too many temper tantrums at
sporting events. With my kids and grandkids,
I’ve always emphasized doing their best and having fun.
I think that’s why I’m so fond of the emphasis on
competing well, finishing the race and keeping the faith
in the second letter St. Paul is credited with having written
to Timothy (4:7). It reminds me of Mary Shields, whom I met
in Alaska: She was one of the first
two women to participate in the
Iditarod Trail Race in 1974. Although
Mary placed 23rd, she made history
by being the first woman ever to
finish the Iditarod.
But I don’t think St. Paul was writing
about sports. Sensing that he
was near death, he was reflecting
upon his life and what was ahead.
He was confident that "the crown of
righteousness awaits me" (4:8).
SPONSORED LINKS
 Persistence Pays Off
Like many other people, Paul did
not see his efforts succeed immediately.
Others who may not have realized
the fruits of their labors include
suffragette Susan B. Anthony, who
died before the 19th Amendment gave women the right to
vote. Rachel Carson, now known as the founder of the
modern environmental movement, lost her battle with
breast cancer two years after the publication of Silent Spring.
Archbishop Oscar Romero’s assassination brought attention
to his fight against injustice in
El Salvador.
Wilma Rudolph saw the results
of her battle against such obstacles
as racism and crippling childhood
polio: During the 1960 Olympics,
she ran to the finish line, becoming
the first American woman to win
three gold medals in the Olympics.
More than 100 years earlier,
Henriette Delille was a feisty biracial
woman from New Orleans who
fought to establish one of the first
orders of African-American Catholic
nuns: Her persistence finally paid off.
The Miracle Worker, an award-winning
play and film, focused on
Anne Sullivan’s relentless struggle to teach her blind and deaf
student, Helen Keller. Cesar Chavez and Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., are among the modern-day activists who faithfully
persisted to fight injustices. Today, the struggle for peace and
against injustice continues.
I’ve known many extraordinary but unfamous people
who have valiantly battled cancer, MS and other illnesses.
And then there are the caregivers,
visitors, researchers, pray-ers and
fund-raisers who support and encourage
them not to give up.
My sons, Tim and Ritch, both lost
their battles against cystic fibrosis
(CF) in recent years. Neither one
ever said, “Why me?” I’ll never forget
walking along Tim’s side the last
time he participated in the annual
CF fund-raiser. Since CF typically
causes lung damage, this event has
always been a walk to the finish—not a race to see who comes in first.
Tim, who was hooked up to a tank
of oxygen that he carried, walked
slowly—but he completed the walk.
Tim died in 2001 at age 33 and
Ritch died in 2006 at age 36. When
I was planning each of their funeral liturgies, the first Scripture
passage that came to my mind was 2 Timothy 4:7: In
very different ways, both young men competed well, finished
their races (much too young) and kept the faith.
They continue to inspire me and others who knew them.
Whenever I struggle to complete just
five minutes on my boring treadmill,
I recall Tim faithfully following
his doctor’s orders to spend 30 minutes
daily on a treadmill while he
was on a waiting list for a lung transplant.
I still loathe using my treadmill,
but Tim’s example keeps me going.
When I finish the race that is my
life, I hope I will have competed
well and kept the faith well enough
for the Lord to place a crown on my
head.
Mary Jo Dangel is the assistant managing editor
of this publication. |
