Some background: Lincoln is a high school junior whose basketball team is about to compete for the state championship. Miss Watts is an elderly woman who, 5 years previously, had taught Lincoln’s Faith Formation class.
“We’re not going to focus on winning the state tournament. That’s out of our control,” Lincoln’s coach told the team. “What we can control is how well we play and whether we enjoy ourselves. You’ve seen this all season. We play our best ball when we’re relaxed and enjoying ourselves. That’s all we can do at state.”
Thirty minutes later, Lincoln shared with Miss Watts what his coach had told them. “I understand his point, but it’s hard not to think about winning. The seniors know this is their last chance to bring home a state championship. Is it wrong to pray about this – to pray that we win the championship?”
“I don’t know anything about your coach’s faith,” Miss Watts answered in her thoughtful manner, “but I think he’s taking a biblical approach.”
“How?”
“Oh, in two ways at least. First, he’s clearly trying to get you not to worry about something that’s at least partially out of your control. You remember in the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus tells us not to worry about those things. Worrying isn’t going to make you or your team play better. Jesus said we can’t add even a second to our lives by worrying and you can’t worry your way to a state championship.” Lincoln nodded.
“Second, he’s focused on enjoying the tournament and Jesus would agree with that too. An abundant life surely includes happiness, and your coach seems to know that happiness is available to everyone, not just the winner.”
“Yeah, but won’t we be happiest if we win? If we lose does that mean God doesn’t want us to be as happy as we could be?”
Miss Watts did not answer right away, and Lincoln wondered if he had, for the first time, asked something she could not answer.
“No,” she finally began, “I don’t think the happiest people at the end of the game are the winners. It might be true sometimes, but not always.”
She could see Lincoln’s confusion.
“Think about winning,” she continued. “Of course, you’ll be happy in that moment, but one win – even a big win – won’t bring real happiness simply because it is only a momentary thing. The feeling will fade with time. The happiness Jesus tells us about, blessedness as he puts it, doesn’t depend on circumstances. Do you remember the Beatitudes?”
“Sure,” Lincoln answered.
“Jesus seems to be saying we can be blessed, happy, even when things go badly. ‘Blessed are those who mourn,’ I would think, applies to losing a basketball game, don’t you think?”
Lincoln nodded.
A Question: Would you like to be able to have a conversation like this – one where you easily use your faith and knowledge of the Bible to help work out some issue in your life? You can! Take advantage of opportunities to learn about the Bible and learn about your faith. Want to get started? How about some simple Bible reading? Start with the Gospel of Mark. In it you’ll find stories about Jesus which are easy to follow. Could you read a chapter every few days?
In Christ,
Fr. Kevin