“For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”  2 Tim. 4:6-7 NABre

St. Paul, continuing his metaphor of running the race, helps us understand the race and our need to run it. His motivation has always been his love for Jesus and his hope of attaining Him for the rest of eternity. 

St. Paul understood, from his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, that He is the source of all love. Once he found Jesus with his heart, Paul set himself on a course to give himself and his entire life to Jesus and the expansion of His kingdom.

The remainder of St. Paul’s life was simply “poured out like a libation” for the benefit of others. He conformed his life to that of Jesus who willingly gave His life away for the benefit of others. When you hear St. Paul’s testimony, you see all the ways he had to suffer to preach the word of God. 

The race the Lord had for St. Paul was uniquely his own, just as He calls each of us in different ways to do different things. Another way of looking at our “race” is our cross. To receive all that the Lord has for us requires that we give all that we have to Him. This is THE trust in Jesus that faith calls us to attain. 

Only those who truly believe in the goodness, love, and promises of God will take that leap of faith to give all to Him. They have a firm conviction that in the end, Christ will do what He promised – Bring to completion the good works He began in us. (Phil.1:6)

For St. Paul, finishing the race was keeping his faith in Christ. Having encountered all that he had in sharing the good news with the people he was sent to, his faith was constantly challenged, strengthened and established. For us, faith is the key. To run the race is to trust that God will provide for everything as He calls us to “run our race.” 

To win the race is not to accomplish what St. Paul did, but to accomplish all that God calls us to. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta is so often quoted, to remain faithful to Him is what we strive to accomplish. While the world calls us to define and achieve some level of success, St. Paul and Mother Teresa understood faithfulness as the real win. 

Every day, the Lord is calling us to leave behind the focus of our own care in this world and trust Him. He calls us to turn our focus from self care to the care of others, that we might lead them to Him. The battle for obedience is running this race. Let us all do the work that comes from the experience of making the effort to be with, hear from and obey everything the Lord calls us to.

Numerous coaches have exhorted their athletes to leave everything they have on the track, field or pitch. We, too, must leave our entire lives here on earth so that we may attain eternity in the life and love of God.