Suffering for the Sake of Christ's Body!
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I don't consider myself a "runner". Which is probably a weird thing to say for someone who has ran two marathons and two half-marathons (well, finished those runs), but it's true, I really haven't learned to enjoying running. I'll run with someone else, or run for a purpose, or run after a soccer ball, but I've yet to experience the "runner's high" or been looking forward to a mid-afternoon pavement-pounding trot around the park... But when another runner was injured before last year's Roman Run, I agreed immediately to cover one of the legs. What I didn't realize (recall, I'm not a runner, at least an experienced runner) was that doing the afore-mentioned marathon 6 days prior to the Roman Run would not be a good idea...
About 100 yards into my 10-mile stint last year my legs were tired. About 2 miles in, and 2 pretty big hills, I was gasping along. But I glanced down at the list of names in my hand - Christians, and their families, in Syria - and images of men in orange jump-suits flashed before my eyes. They were suffering more than my aching legs were! I gasped out another decade of the rosary, crested one more hill, knocked out another mile, and moved to the next name. This was the feeling - sheer exhaustion - that had brought me to a walk, and a leg-spasming final 6 miles during my marathon several days prior, but this time I knew I couldn't stop and walk. These labored strides were for my team-mates, for the countless people who were praying and supporting us, for the many fellow Christians who were suffering and dying for Our Lord throughout the world, and they were steps along the road to calvary that Jesus had staggered while He carried His cross. 3 miles down, 7 to go...
This year, I won't have a marathon a week before the Roman Run, but it will no doubt still be a struggle, but one, like last year's, that is totally worth it! Peter encouraged his disciples to "rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed"[1 Peter 4:13] and Paul gives us the same message, "I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church," [Collossians 1:24]. In our struggles, in our sufferings, in our sacrifices, we are truly joined with Christ, and all the members of His body who are united to Him.
Join yourselves to Christ! Join us in supporting, and having com-passion with the Christians suffering in Syria! Please, pray for them, and pray for us! If you can, contribute to the run so that their families, homes, and faith can be sustained! 100% of any financial gift will go directly to them (and doubled by a doner!), and 100% of any spiritual gift will be all the more appreciated, and multiplied 100-fold by a not-so-anonymous Giver!
Know of their thanks, and my thanks! All for Christ, Our Lord in Heaven, and present in every member of His body here below!
Thank you and may God bless you!
Dominic Rankin