Last evening, I was working again at the front desk here at St. Anne’s. One of our residents went outside for one final cigarette for the night. When he came back in, I asked how the weather was out there.
As the conversation progressed, he ended up warning me to be careful coming over in the morning as the sidewalks might become slippery if the moisture continued and froze. I asked him, in fun, “So you mean I can’t run?” (I have been known around here for the rapidity of my foot and leg movements.)
Even though late November can be a bit perilous for fast footwork, we hear various references to running during the days leading up to Christmas.
To start with, there’s the story of the gingerbread man which our mothers read to us as children: “Run, run, as fast as you can; you can’t catch me: I’m the gingerbread man.”
On a more serious note, during Advent, we are not only exhorted to be prepared, but to carry out an active role. Aren’t we supposed to “run out to meet” the Bridegroom when He comes to us? (I believe there are seasonal hymns/antiphons which allude to this.)
And, when does He come to us? When should we run out to Him? Every day!
There are so many moments in our daily lives when we can “run out to meet Him.” In approaching every person we have the opportunity to serve, in carrying out our daily duties, we can run out to Him.
There is a certain enthusiasm appropriate to living the Gospel. In whatever I am called to do at a given moment, I pray for the grace to “run to Jesus,” to live His love enthusiastically.
For some reason, a prayer by my confirmation saint, St. Therese, comes to mind: “My God ‘I choose all!’ I don’t want to be a saint by halves, I’m not afraid to suffer for You, I fear only one thing: to keep my own will; so take it, for ‘I choose all’ that You will!”
Our Franciscan Fiat 