Aquinas Cafe

I went to a meeting of a Catholic study group called Communion and Liberation in Sacramento the other night. (If you don't know about them, you should check them out.)

After our study session, we all drove down the street to a local Mexican restaurant for refreshments and conversation. As I parked and got out of the car, I noticed a family of five or six on their way out of the establishment standing in the parking lot waiting for a straggler to catch up, saying their goodbyes. One of them had an impatient two and a half or three year old, and daddy took her over to the far end of the lot and "raced" with her back to the group. The little girl galloped - mostly bouncing up and down, awkwardly, like a penguin in a big hurry. In keeping with the age old ritual dad galloped slightly ahead, then lost pace as she caught up half way to the finish line. Dad was sure to stay right by her side, just a nose ahead or a nose behind the entire rest of the way, as the child bounded across the parking lot, twisting her face up with the effort and giggling in delight. The little girl shrieked in ecstasy as she nosed ahead for the victory at the finish line- Mom's waiting arms.

This is something like us fighting the good fight and running the good race with Jesus and Paul. Christ, in the beginning, is always set out before us- a proposal, a curiosity, a wonder. He coaxes us to run with him and sets out our pace, and we chase one another the rest of our lives. In both the moments of struggle and strain and giggling delight, He is by our side; just over our shoulder. He is our gentle mentor, our guide along the course's path. Sometime's He's right there in front of us, and running is so effortless then, we find the strength to jolt ahead easily. Other times we can't find Him at all- we know by faith that He is right behind us, backing us up all the way, but we can't take our eye off the twisting road ahead, can't look back to Him for reassurance. In the end, if we follow Him, he drives us into the arms of His Mother and His Father, shrieking in ecstasy.