When I was a kid I could tell you the statistics of almost every player in Major League Baseball. Hitting average, home runs, Runs Batted In, and Earned Run Average. I could tell you who led each league in each of these categories. I would look at the draft and find out which high school or college player each team took. While baseball was my passion, I could recite almost as much from the other sports. Basketball, Football and, if I was really bored, hockey. It was my life for quite a few years. In college my mood rose and fell depending on how the various teams at Southern Illinois University or the University of Illinois performed that week.
I got a bit of reminder of all of that on Christmas this year. As most of you know, the United States on Christmas Day now worships on the altar of the National Football League instead of at the manger scene. Three games occupied the airwaves from morning to night with a large audience for each. The stands were full of people in various degrees of garb representing their favorite teams while screaming and lamenting over each turn of play. I am sure parents across the country were schooling their children of the intricacies and strategies at every turn.
Now, I am not saying that following sports is a bad thing. Life is good and worth living. We find joy in many things that God has created. Including the talents of those who play sports and reach its highest levels. But there must be perspective. John writes in today’s first reading:
Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world,
sensual lust, enticement for the eyes, and a pretentious life,
is not from the Father but is from the world.
Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever.
I equate this with the discussion of wealth. From Luke we read the common story of a camel passing through the eye of a needle:
“How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24-25)
But does Jesus mean that if you are wealthy you will not be able to get to heaven. I don’t believe so. It is your attitude about that wealth, just like your attitude regarding activities, hobbies and sports. What place does it occupy in your heart and soul? For me, as a child and young adult, there was no question that sports were my gods.
Father Burke Masters from St. Isadore’s Parish in Hinsdale, IL tells the story of his conversation with a family about teaching children their faith. The parents contention was that they should let the kids decide (who, by the way, were decked out in Chicago Cubs gear from head to toe) once they are older what faith they should pursue…or if they would follow a faith at all. Father Burke responded with commenting that they obviously had decided FOR their children which baseball team they would adore. Priorities.
In the Gospel from Luke today we hear about the Prophetess Anna who remained in the temple for most of the 84 years of her life. She spent it waiting for the arrival of the Messiah. She may have been looking at the “rookie cards” of all the possible candidates for the Messiah-ship coming up through the ranks each year. Who knows. But her eyes were fixed on the prize of the arrival of the Savior of the world.
As we finish up with 2023, and turn the calendars over to 2024, may we also focus on what really matters. Enjoy what the world offers to us, but not so much that we forget where we are headed. Our goal should be to finally qualify, at the end of our seasons, for the Hall of Fame of all Halls of Fame.
