Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
I went hiking this weekend with my roommate and some of our friends. While it was lovely to get out and do something in nature, there was a very specific moment where I remember getting frustrated at the way I was walking. Whenever I go out to hike or find myself on any kind of trail that isn’t well-worn or paved, I spend most of my time looking directly downwards, watching where I put my feet. While there’s certainly nothing wrong
with looking at my steps, in retrospect I get frustrated – I already have a pretty good sense of what my hiking shoes look like, it’d be nice to take some time enjoying my surroundings! I might as well be walking the same trails every time, since no matter where I go, the view is the same!
It seems like Paul would sympathize with my frustration, based on today’s first reading (Romans 8:18-25). It’s not as if my attention is unwarranted – I’m being very careful to make sure I know where I’m stepping and trying not to fall and hurt myself. However, in focusing so greatly on the ground directly in front of me, I miss out on noticing the beauty and the nature that’s just above my gaze.
In today’s first reading, St. Paul reminds us that in the midst of the suffering we experience in this life, we need to lift our gaze – our hope – heaven-ward. Our current sufferings are “nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us” (Romans 8:18), but even if we have hope, we “groan within ourselves” (Romans 8:24) as we go through the world. In addition to this groaning, we must ensure that we remember that which lies beyond our suffering. It’s fine if I watch my step from time to time – otherwise I’ll fall and get myself hurt – but I also need to take time to ensure that I remember that I’m not just walking for the sake of walking. I’m walking to be a part of something greater beyond my feet. Even when I look up and don’t immediately recognize the beauty of what’s around me, I keep walking with the hope that I’ll eventually find what I am looking for.
“Lord, in the midst of the suffering and the minutia in our everyday life, help us to hold on to hope in You & Your kingdom, whose glory and greatness far surpasses our current hardships.”
Marty Bagatti