The average play lasts 10 seconds at most. In that span of time, however, 22 human beings at the peak of physical ability are tasked with fulfilling their jobs with the utmost precision. The center must snap the ball with perfect accuracy without even looking, the five offensive lineman need to decide on and carry out a blocking scheme in a split second, and the quarterback must identify an open receiver and heave the ball before the behemoth defensemen take him to the ground. And those are just the offensive players. The defense all the while needs to recognize the offense’s play and react with top speed and toughness.
The team truly needs to act as a unit, and one player failing his duties is enough for a game-losing interception or blown coverage. And yet, the star running backs and quarterbacks still capture the public’s attention above their fellow players. Any Boston College alumni worth his salt can praise Doug Flutie and A.J. Dillon, but how many can name Mike Ruth and Chris Lindstrom (the offensive linemen who were just as important to BC’s success as their more famous teammates)? Some players have the size to play on the offensive line, some have the speed to play wide receiver, and a select few have the intelligence and throwing skill to win fame as a quarterback.
Just as the greatest quarterbacks would be nothing without offensive lines to protect them and receivers to catch their throws, the Church would be nothing without humble men and women supporting the greatest saints. St. Therese of Lisieux writes, “I often asked myself why God had preferences, why all souls did not receive an equal measure of grace.” She came to realize, however, that “if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would lose its springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be enameled with lovely hues.” Our faith needs its apostles to spread the faith to new nations and martyrs to die for its defense. But it also needs nuns to pray for those people’s efforts, parents to raise the next generations of Christians, and even humble farmers and laborers to feed and shelter those working for Christ.
It’s not just natural talent or raw size that leads to wins and championships. For every day spent playing in front of thousands of fans, there are five days of practice where the players run repetitive and taxing drills in front of no one but demanding coaches. Before they even get on the practice field the players spend hundreds of hours in the gym and film room. This has clear parallels to the spiritual life. God gives each person the grace they need to reach Heaven, but this needs to be refined through hard (and often mundane) spiritual work. We can read of countless miracles and acts of service performed by the saints, but how often do we read about the thousands of Rosaries, examens, and spiritual direction appointments that brought them to the peak of holiness?
Football brings people together to fight for a higher cause. If one player decides he’ll break from the team’s play in order to impress scouts and make a highlight reel, the play will inevitably fail for the entire team. So, instead of seeking personal glory, players must fight for school pride and for their teammates with whom they’ve worked throughout the season. If they play as one with their teammates, sometimes SportsCenter spotlights and NFL contracts will come, but only as a bonus to the team win that is always the primary goal. In a similar way, everything in the Christian life must be done for the greater glory of God. The Church working as one is the Mystical Body of Christ, fulfilling God’s work on earth. Each individual Christian must dedicate their lives to God and the Church, and only after doing this can personal blessings (and ultimately personal salvation) come.
There’s a reason why every NFL team says a collective Our Father before leaving the locker room and taking the field, why you so often see players kneeling in prayer or doing the Sign of the Cross after a successful play, and why the riskiest play in football is called a “Hail Mary pass.” A football team is an organization that asks over a hundred young men to bring their personal talents and skills and to use them to win their team glory, just as Christ asks His children to use their special talents for the greater glory of God.
- The Beatles, Baseball, and the Christian Life - April 30, 2021
- Avatar and the Christian Faith - March 25, 2021
- Praying Through Holy Thursday - March 25, 2021