Yesterday a 'perfect storm' of vacations, retreats, and random events left me home alone at the friary. So after saying vespers in the church, I went for Chinese take-out. After placing my order, I couldn't help but notice the other customer: a kid of maybe eleven or twelve years with crutches and a big cast on his foot. As we sat there waiting, me for my hot and sour soup and he for his double order of french fries, I just had to ask:
"How come you, with a broken foot, have to be the one sent to pick up the Chinese food?"
The kid pointed across the street and explained,
"That's my football team practicing there. I'm out for the season, but I can still do stuff like this for the team."
How about that? Out for the season and on crutches, this kid was not only still showing up for practice but was also finding other ways to serve. As I think from time to time, perhaps our catechesis of children has something to learn from football.
Or we have something to learn from the children... occasionally.... :)
ReplyDeleteHigh school sports in general really serve as a fantastic segue into discussions of faith. Athletes inherently understand the idea of community, of sacrifice, of fidelity. It's really powerful stuff. Thanks for pointing out this young child's latent gift of faith :) (And who knows, perhaps there is a religious vocation in him, as well...)
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic!
ReplyDeletePerhaps that sports training once learned from older catechesis.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the thought. I shall take it to heart as our religious education studies begin again next week. (I have the high schoolers, first-year confirmation, and can always use this kind of inspiration.)
ReplyDeleteGo JETS!
ReplyDelete