What makes a life a success? Many of us think in terms of prosperity: a well-provided
family, prosperous or at least sufficient wealth, an important position in society and the
good regard of others. Many people invest great energy and effort to achieve these
goals.
St. Paul isn’t thinking of any of these things but he is striving for a definite goal. He looks
back on his life with the image of a runner, going after a different goal: “I have finished
the race” (2 Tim 4:7).
What race is this? Paul previously used “running” to describe the Christian life. In the
First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes his race and invites us to run along with
him: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the
prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games
goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a
crown that will last forever “(1 Cor: 24-25).
St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Commentary of the Second Letter to Timothy, recognizes
that Christians need a similar attentiveness of an athlete towards his or her goal.
Thomas tells us that, for the Christian, the goal is holiness: “It is called a course or
journey to holiness, because they run swiftly in order to run better, being prodded by the
goad of charity” (Commentary, 149).
Preoccupied with the goals valued by society in daily life, we forget that the purpose of
Christian life is holiness. We might not think holiness concerns us. We might think that
keeping the basic moral commandments is enough.
Thomas Aquinas identifies Christian perfection as charity: “Primarily and essentially the
perfection of the Christian life consists in charity, principally as to the love of God,
secondly as to the love of our neighbor…” (2a2ae. 184, 3).
We might assume that the pursuit of holiness is the goal of those consecrated to the
Lord, such as Religious but not the rest of us. Nevertheless, the Second Vatican
Council agrees with Thomas: “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the
fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of love” (Lumen Gentium, “The
Constitution on the Church,” 40).
The Council declares: “The true disciple of Christ is marked by love both of God and of
his neighbor” (Lumen Gentium, “The Constitution on the Church,” 42). Love is not only
the goal but love also drives us, as St. Paul declares “The love of Christ urges us on” (2
Cor 5:14).
In his Letter to Timothy, Paul offers another athletic image: “I have fought the good fight”
(2 Tim 4:6). How can a fight be “good” and why are Christians fighting?

Thomas Aquinas observes that a “good fight” concerns something good, “… waged on
behalf of faith and justice” (Commentary, 149). Not only must the cause be good, but we
must fight it in a good way, “… a struggle is good if it is conducted well, i.e. carefully …”
Not all athletes play in a good way, which is why there are yellow and red cards. At
times, our good intentions can be excuses for acting quite differently from Jesus’
Beatitudes. Sometimes our “causes” might be good but the way we proceed might not
be.
Our “fights” are often our personal challenges. Thomas points out a ‘good fight” means
that “the struggle is difficult.” We shouldn’t be surprised that there are difficulties in our
lives. When we set out to do something good, we necessarily find difficulties.
The one with whom we “fight” may be ourselves and our own resistance. Paul had
previously stated: “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight
like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that
after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Cor
9:26-27)
As St. Paul was coming to the end of his life, greater challenges await him, especially
his imprisonment and martyrdom, as Thomas notes: “The struggle and the journey
towards death continued… he was not finished struggling or running…”
Despite what was before him, Paul asserted, “I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). He
didn’t mean simply agreeing to the truths of the faith but accepting the difficulties that he
would meet in living them, as St. Thomas says: “He uses God’s gifts for the glory of God
and the salvation of our neighbors.”
Paul speaks of a “crown”: “There is laid up for me a merited crown which, on that day,
the Lord the just judge will render to me” (2 Tim 4:8). What type of crown is this?
According to Thomas, the primary “crown” is “nothing less than the joy in the truth…
God is our crown.”
Thomas reflects that the just as the race involves charity, the reward will be charity:
“The crown will be given for charity alone, ‘He who loves Me shall be loved by My
Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him’ (Jn 14:21).” Not only will the
soul be crowned but the body will also receive eternal life: “What is sown in corruption,
shall rise in incorruption” (1 Cor 15:43).
St. Thomas asks why Paul talks of “merit” when eternal life is a gift? The word for
“grace” in New Testament Greek and in Thomas’ Latin means “gift.” Grace is a “gift” that
is given to us. Even our perseverance is a gift of grace. Paul realized this as he affirms:
“By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect” (1 Cor
15:10).

Even Paul’s cooperation with grace was a grace, as Thomas explains: “Grace is
involved inasmuch as it is the root of merit, and justice inasmuch as it is an act
proceeding from the will” (Commentary, 151).
According to Thomas, our “merit” is actually God’s reward for doing what He helps us
do by grace: “Man obtains from God as a reward of his operation, what God gave him
the power of operation for…” (Summa Theologiae, 2a, 2ae, 114, 1).
Paul knows that he will not be alone receiving the reward, “but all who have looked for
His coming with eager longing” (2 Tim 4:8). During a race, different “pace-setters’ joined
a runner for parts of the race, to keep up his or her speed. On November 1, we will
celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. The saints also run with us, inspiring us and
praying for us.
Unfortunately, Paul’s converts did not stand by him in the day of his trial, but as Thomas
reflects: “Because they did this out of weakness, he prays for them.”
When Paul asserts that God was the one who gave him strength, he shows how God
gives us the grace to cooperate with Him: “The Lord stood by my side and gave me
strength” (2 Tim 4:17). Thomas observes: “Where men depart, God offers Himself.” God
strengthened Paul not to be intimidated by the authorities: “… giving me strength of soul
not to be dazzled by Caesar.”
Following Christ brings its struggles, as it did for Paul. God gives us the grace and
strength to run the race and to fight the good fight, and then rewards us with love.
Denis Vincent Wiseman, O.P.

References are to Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Second Letter to Timothy, Vol.
40, The Works of St. Thomas Aquinas, translated by F.R. Larcher, O.P., edited by J.
Mortensen and E. Alarcón, (Lander Wyoming: Aquinas Institute, 2012).
References to St. Thomas’ Summa Theologiae give the part of the Summa, for
instance, the second part of the second part (2a2ae). Then the question is given, such
as question 112 and then the article, such as the 1 st . If the reference is from Thomas
response to an objection, the number of the objection is added, with the Latin word, ad,
meaning “to,” in this case, it is the reply to the third objection.