{"id":12721,"date":"2012-03-08T08:00:34","date_gmt":"2012-03-08T14:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/?p=12721"},"modified":"2012-03-07T20:36:23","modified_gmt":"2012-03-08T02:36:23","slug":"you-may-be-out-of-shape-but-youre-still-in-the-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/03\/you-may-be-out-of-shape-but-youre-still-in-the-race\/","title":{"rendered":"You May be Out of Shape, But You’re Still in the Race"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"This<\/a>

This is a race we want to win!<\/p><\/div>\n

Well we’re into our second week of Lent, how are you doing with your Lenten resolution? Is it bringing you closer to God and sainthood? Have you fallen already? Are you in the do-I or don’t-I circle of deciding whether Sundays are off days? Is it time for your Lenten pep talk? If so, keep reading! (If not, still, keep reading!)<\/p>\n

Let me let you in on a Lenten secret… Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Our Creator breathed life into us knowing that this Lent we were going to honor Him successfully at some times and less so at others. He made us for the marathon of life, so we needn’t let some of the shorter sprints get us down. We are in the race and we have an omnipotent and omniscient Coach on our side.<\/p>\n

I was super excited to go to Theology on Tap yesterday because the topic was on becoming a saint \u2013 and I want to share two highlights with you. First, remember that desiring to be a saint is the first step to sainthood. This does not work with running \u2013 wanting to run a marathon will not get you there! However, asking God for help and endurance, to know His will and to trust that He will give you the holy equivalent of Gatorade and gumption is enough to get you started in the right direction.<\/p>\n

Secondly, realize that you don\u2019t have to do wonderful miraculous things in this life to become a saint in the next. I learned more about Blessed Kateri\u00a0Tekakwitha<\/a> this week (who is scheduled for canonization later this year) and was really encouraged by what a humble person she was. She died at 24 and lived her short life serving children and elderly, while performing great penances. She is an inspiration to those of us who have jobs, family responsibilities, and other duties because she gives us an example that is do-able. We can make time to serve those who are less fortunate than us. Her short but holy life provides us with a warm-up or template that we can model our own saint marathon-run after.<\/p>\n

So we’re running the race to sainthood, and we might be going strong or we may be out of breath, but regardless, we can turn to the Saints for a jolt of energy, an example, a song for our “pump it up” workout playlist. What songs encourage you toward sainthood? My recommendation for this week is “When the Saints Go Marching in!!” Just remember these words when you’re struggling this Lent or through any struggles to help push you through that wall\u2026.”Oh Lord\u00a0I want\u00a0to be in that number, when the Saints go marching in!”<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well we’re into our second week of Lent, how are you doing with your Lenten resolution? Is it bringing you closer to God and sainthood? Have you fallen already? Are you in the do-I or don’t-I circle of deciding whether Sundays are off days? Is it time for your Lenten pep talk? If so, keep… [Read More]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-12721","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-blog","7":"entry","8":"has-post-thumbnail"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":101478,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2015\/03\/what-my-husband-taught-me-about-lent\/","url_meta":{"origin":12721,"position":0},"title":"What My Husband Taught Me About Lent","author":"Britt Echtenkamp","date":"March 30, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This Lenten season is the first one Danger and I have experienced as husband and wife. We began the season as brand new parents, and didn't spend much time discerning what our Lenten sacrifices would be, either\u00a0individually and as a couple. At first, I declared I would give up Sonic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Face of Jesus","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/sufferingservant-184x190.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11962,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2012\/02\/i-kinda-3-lent\/","url_meta":{"origin":12721,"position":1},"title":"I Kinda <3 Lent","author":"Rita Suva","date":"February 22, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"\"Remember, man you are dust and to dust you will return.\" \u2013Roman Missal, Imposition of Ashes So, I\u2019m a little bit crazy. 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Those emotional memories are strong, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ACNM"","block_context":{"text":"ACNM","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"lent 40 days and 40 ways","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/lent40daysand40ways.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":44563,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2014\/03\/slipping-lent-questions-lenten-sacrifices\/","url_meta":{"origin":12721,"position":3},"title":"Slipping Up in Lent – Questions about Lenten Sacrifices","author":"Crist\u00f3bal Almanza Herrera","date":"March 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"When we start Lent with a day like Ash Wednesday, it sets a somewhat somber tone for the season. This is a season of sacrifice, penance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Definitely sounds like a no-fun zone. Thinking about doing something that makes you happy? Save it for Easter!\u00a0This is at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Questions About Lenten Sacrifices","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.austincnm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/QuestionsAboutLentenSacrifices-630x419.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":365517,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2017\/02\/a-lent-of-luminous-darkness-and-wild-seeds\/","url_meta":{"origin":12721,"position":4},"title":"A Lent of Luminous Darkness and Wild Seeds","author":"Shawn Rain Chapman","date":"February 21, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I love Lent. I am always happy to hear that I am dust, and that to dust I shall return. When I close my eyes to pray, I can really tell I am dust. In here where I live, it's quiet and dark. Simple. Nothing to it. \u00a0Who am I?\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/category\/acnm\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/atxcatholic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/maxresdefault-332x187.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":387756,"url":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2017\/04\/father-love-lenten-reflection\/","url_meta":{"origin":12721,"position":5},"title":"To My Father For All His Love: A Lenten Reflection","author":"Anonymous","date":"April 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Guest Post by Deacon Dan Lupo In Chicago, where I grew up, March days are shrouded in gray, blasted by icy wind, and blanketed by snow. Perfect Lent weather. The weather is Lent-perfect because the gray skies evoke a somber mood, which matches the serious attitude Lent fosters. 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