Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Why I Am Catholic

Home
The Only Race I’m Interested In This Year Isn’t Decided In November

The Only Race I’m Interested In This Year Isn’t Decided In November

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:53 pm by Frank Weathers

The Only Race I’m Interested In This Year Isn’t Decided In November 2017-01-24T18:53:20-05:00 Frank Weathers

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Ford GT, GTLM Class, race car. Photograph by Ford Motor Company [CC BY 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons.

And I’m not sorry to say that. Far from it. The horse I’m backing is pictured above, and the race I’m referring to is held in LeMans, France, in June.

But Frank! What about the race for POTUS? How do you not lay awake at night in fear of what is at stake? The country, man. OMG!

Ah. That’s easy, dear reader. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. I tend to not get riled up about stuff that I don’t have much control over. And last time I checked, that’s a whole heap of stuff.

So consider that I’m a disciple of the Man who said,

“…seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.”

Now, just because something is simple doesn’t mean it’s not difficult. Think of the parable about the good Samaritan that Jesus used to instruct the scholar of the law who asked slyly, “who is my neighbor?”

You remember it? A man on a journey gets waylaid by thugs, and all manner of folks with more important things on their minds went out of their way to avoid helping the stranger right before their very eyes, and well within their reach.

The priest in the story? Perhaps he was too caught up in the zeitgeist of his time to care for the unfortunate fellow groaning prostrate on the road before him. Too worried about the Roman overlords, who took the place of the Greek overlords, who took the place of the Babylonian overlords, who…well, you get the picture.

Perhaps he was too caught up in the political troubles of the day, troubles he had almost no hope of changing, and as a result, he ignored the person who he literally had to cross the street to avoid helping. Same story for the Levite (ahem, priestly class, again) who came upon the man next.

Nope, the only person who had his wits about him was the powerless, lower caste, fellow from the awful, heathen (practically godless) region of Samaria. But the Samaritan did the simple thing that was hard, see? He helped his fellow man out TODAY.

Right now. In the present moment.

And the Samaritan went even further, and treated the victim like he was a wealthy lord. He treated him better than family, in essence, promising to pay more to those whom he entrusted the injured man’s care to when he thought the resources at his disposal weren’t enough.

For all we know, the Samaritan may have been headed to the chariot races. Jesus doesn’t say.

But as a kind of yeast that helps the whole loaf to rise, see, the Samaritan is our role model. And like him, with faith the size of a mustard seed, we don’t have to overly concern ourselves with all the traffic hurtling down the superhighway to worship the idol of politics. An idol which seems to enthrall a large segment of the culture these days.

Regardless of who becomes POTUS next January, I’m still going to be duty bound to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, etc., etc., etc. As it is, I suck at doing all of those things, regardless of who is in the Oval Office.

Pray that I do better, will you?

But tomorrow, in between cutting the yard, and planting the garden, I’m going to be pulling for the Ford GTs to do as well at Spa as they did at Laguna Seca, in preparation for what will hopefully be a podium topping finish at LeMans.

Like the Good Samaritan, St. Thérèse of Lisieux teaches us a “little way” to heaven. Perhaps the narrow road is like the Mulsanne Straight?

God only knows.

Previous Post

May 5, 2016

YIMCatholic Is Back At Patheos, Obviously

Next Post

May 8, 2016 Thanks to Our Mothers: Past, Present, and Future

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog News Conversion Story Culture Learning Living Nature Prayer Uncategorized Working

Select a Month June 2016 May 2016 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Above all else, guard your ____, for everything you do flows from it.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mind Actions Words Heart