on guard

Today' sfirst reading at Mass as a stiking tone of defense and attentiveness and being alert, "Let us be on guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains..."

when I was in college, I decided among many things that I should learn to box. I was always intriugued with boxing and having grown up with the Rocky movies, i thought why not.

So I signed up for boxing at the university.

It wasn't exactly what i had hoped for. I thought we were going to slap on the gloves and just start pounding away at each other. Boy wasI surprised.

the first half of the class we just worked on conditioning. We exercised until we hurt in every part of our body. Two day week we would gather and just do calisthenics.

While we were getting into shape the we also spent the first half of the course learning to keep our guard up. Not only do you have to be in good shape to box, but you have to learn how to protect yoruself.

We had to learnt o dance around the ring with our hands up in guard position, throwing punches into the wind all the while keeping our guard up.

It was harder than it looked. But once learned, it kept your nose from getting broken sooner than need be.

Such is life following Christ. We must learn to be practice charity while keeping our guard up. That is we must be mindful of others but never forgetful of self, never forgetful of the rest that awaits, the promise that lingers.