Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.

We are not alone. As Christians, we have the Church and its witnesses to help us to celebrate our faith and support us. We have the saints, especially Mary, to watch over us and intercede for us with God. Most importantly, we have a leader: Jesus. With the Church and the saints cheering us on and Jesus leading the way, we can run the race that lies before us. We can cast aside our sins, overcome every obstacle, endure any cross, and reach the finishing line that leads to eternal life. All we need to do is train our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies to follow in the footsteps of Christ and to be humble enough to let him lead us along the right path to Heaven.

Do we seek support from the Church and its members? Do we pray to the saints for help in running the race toward heaven? Have we accepted the need for us to follow Jesus and let him perfect our faith?

O Lord, give us the endurance we need to finish the race to eternal life with you.

Amen.