We're #1

“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it’s much more serious than that.” ~Bill Shankly, Scottish soccer player and manager (1913-1981)

Maureen made her way along 4^th Street. The spires of St. Michael the Archangel loomed at the end of the next block. She had already circumnavigated the line coming out of the bodega on 2^nd. People were stocking up on beer and munchies for the big game and it wasn’t even noon yet.

Maureen Malachy MacQuade had traveled this route to church every Sunday for the past 57 years. She would leave her little brownstone walk-up on O’Meara Avenue and make the 15 minute walk to St Mike’s. She always thought of the tough old Archangel as Mike.  Michael was a name for cute little boys.

Today the trip was going to take her almost 25 minutes. People were everywhere trying to get things done, errands run, and party supplies and snacks purchased before the 3:30 pm kickoff time. The street was crowded and the going was slow.

She had left at noon for the 12:30 PM Mass. Still a block away, it was already 12:20. There would be no time today for her to say her rosary.

Maureen turned left and started up the stone stairs taking them carefully one at the time. At this hour there should have been people rushing into church. Instead, there were only a couple of the die-hards on the expansive staircase ahead of her.

Monsignor Joe was greeting people at the main door. “Good afternoon,” he greeted Maureen in his deep baritone voice. “How are you this fine Sunday afternoon?” “Good as I can be at my age,” she replied with a smile.

Maureen glanced past the Pastor into the sanctuary. “I don’t think there are 20 people in there” she said with surprise.” “It is Super Bowl Sunday after all,” the Monsignor mused. “Well I’m sure God doesn’t give a toss about the Super Bowl,” Maureen retorted. “He’s here with us, where he belongs.”

She started into the church. Then a thought struck her. Turning she looked squarely at the Monsignor. “What are you doing out here greeting,” she asked. “Aren’t you saying 12:30 Mass, Father?”

“Not today,” he replied with a wry smile. “I have somewhere I’m supposed to be this afternoon.” Our new young Associate is saying Mass.”

The bells began to ring and Msgr. Joe started down the stairs.

“Where do you have to be that’s so important?” Maureen persisted.

Turning to face her, he considered his response for a moment.

“A Super Bowl party at the O’Shaugnessy’s,” he said finally with a glint in his eye and his palms turned outward in a placating manner.

He turned away heading for the rectory across the street.

“Does God care about the Super Bowl?” writes Michael Freund in the Jerusalem Post. (This insightful article can still be read on line).

Freund quotes Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton: “As a player… I never understood why God would care who won a game between my team and another. It seemed like there were many far more important things going on in the world.”

If God numbers the hairs on each of our heads, it would be surprising that an event involving 111.4 million human beings would escape his notice, or not be worthy of his time.

We mortals have a compulsion to prioritize things by their importance to us. Doing this is worthy of my time, doing that is not. This event is worthy of my attention, that event is not. This group of people or person is worthy, that group or person is not.

In a sense we profile things and people based on what we think deserves our attention; perhaps looking for those things which will improve our own profile. Essentially, we spend our time on our priorities; those things which will give us the most pleasure, enhance our image or further our careers.

God doesn’t operate this way. He is the great equalizer. We are all number 1. He loves and values everything and everyone the same. He loves Madonna, the rock star, just as much as the original Madonna, Mary, his mother. He loves the people praying at Mass the same as he loves those cheering at the Super Bowl.

God is not some far-away being, too supreme and too busy to be bothered with us because he has more important things to do. Rather God, and his love for us, is so all encompassing He embraces all of us and all of his creation; yes even football.

This should remind us that as stewards of God’s creation, we too are called to pay attention to what is going on around us; to not be so self absorbed, but to be very aware. The great figures of the parables (the Good Samaritan, the Father of the Prodigal Son) are people who stepped outside themselves. Being very aware, they had a sense of global goodness rather than a self centered importance.

In the final accounting, it’s not about us. We are called to see everything as being of value. We are called to love everything, just the same.

Dear God: Remind me today that all your creation is important.

“And just as a father takes pleasure in watching his children play, I’d like to believe that our Father in Heaven will also take delight in this Sunday’s drama on the field.” ~Michael Fruend, Native New Yorker (and Giants fan), correspondent and syndicated columnist for the Jerusalem Post

©2012 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.

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