While on vacation, my daughter wiped out on her bike.
She chose to go down a steep hill that proved a bit too steep.
As she crawled out from beneath her bike, tears streaming down her face. she vowed never to ride her bike again. She said the stinging pain of her bloodied knees would serve as a lasting reminder of the danger of two wheeled travel.
Within 48 hours, though, things had changed. She saw that to get any place fast, her bicycle was her best option. She saw others getting on their bikes. And she heard the empathetic and encouraging words of those around her offering similar stories of painful tumbles, then resolve to get back on the bike. Lo and behold, before long, she was once again, happily pedaling along.
This Sunday you and I will hear the words of St. Paul as he also offers similar encouragement. Using words like ‘persevere,’ ‘enthusiasm, and ‘be patient’ - he wants believers to approach the wipe outs of our lives with similar grit and resolve.
And so we ponder: in what ways are the adversities of our lives keeping us out of the game? A broken heart? A bad test result? A lackluster daily routine? What about boredom or apathy?
Jesus is calling us to get up from our tumbles, to persevere, to hope, and hold out our hand to him.
C’mon, let’s get back on our bikes.
C’mon, let’s get back on our bikes.
