Run, Forrest, Run

Running because we are in love with Jesus

Mark 3:13-19 

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach  and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter;  James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

          Boys and girls, I went for a run this morning. Does anyone know why I went for a run? It’s because I’m training for a marathon, the Fort Smith marathon called “True Grit” on February 12. But WHY am I running a marathon? Well, it’s because I’m trying to raise money for Catholic schools (boy, that sounds familiar!), because I love Catholic schools. Here’s the connection I want you to see: when we love something we feel the need to run. Ask yourself today: why do I feel like running sometimes? When it’s time for recess, do you walk to recess or run? Most of your run to recess because you love recess! But when it’s time to take a math test, do you walk or run to class? You try to stay in bed and pretend you are sick! When you don’t love, you don’t run. We run to what we love; we run because we are in love.

          In the gospel today, we see the 12 apostles are ready to go for a run as well. Jesus calls them to him by name, and then what happens? He “sent them forth.” That means they loved Jesus so much that they ran all over the world to tell people about him. That’s why I am an Indian, but I am also Catholic because they apostles ran all the way to India. That’s why Fr. Pius is from Nigeria but also Catholic because the apostles ran all the way to Africa. The apostles ran all over the world faster than you run to recess! But one of the 12 apostles did not run like the others. Who was that? It was Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. He only ran to collect the 30 pieces of silver, because he loved money more than he loved Jesus. The apostles ran a lot farther than a marathon because they loved Jesus. We run because we love.

          Boys and girls, how many o you love Jesus! Wonderful, I love him, too. But how many of you run to Mass on Sunday to see Jesus? I know some of you live too far away to actually run to Mass, that’s okay. And I know your parents must drive you to come to Mass. But we should still WANT to run to Mass. One student in our school actually cried one Sunday when her parents didn’t bring her to Mass. She would have run to Mass if she could.  A few years ago a lot of ice fell in Fort Smith, and no one could drive anywhere. But two gentlemen in our church still drove to early morning Mass and crawled on their hands and knees across the frozen parking lot to Mass. When you love Jesus that much, you’ll even crawl to come to see him.

          Boys and girls, we run to what we love, like to recess; we run because we are in love. Let us always run into the arms of Jesus at Mass, and if you can’t run, it’s okay to crawl.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!