Sunday, February 24, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Never give up on a play
There's an often-repeated phrase amongst play-by-play commentators in sports. It's "never give up on a play." In "soccer" (football), it could be a rather innocuous-looking cross from one of the wingers that appears destined to be a routine sweep by the opposing defenders or a routine save by the opposing goalkeeper. That is, until one of the strikers just seems to suddenly appear right in position to smash it through a tunnel amongst the crowd of players toward the far end of the goal away from where the opposing keeper is.
In ice hockey, it could be a puck brought across the blue line but with the defending players all in their own zone already - the kind of play that does not seem likely to even generate a shot on goal, let alone a goal. But instead of staying at his customary spot at one of the points to catch any wayward pucks so as to keep the play alive, one of the defenders for the attacking team takes the proactive approach and goes right up the middle to slow down a potential counterattack by the defending team. While driving forward, the attacking defender suddenly finds the puck on his stick, perhaps a rebound or an errant bounce or an interrupted pass attempt by the defending team, and just shoots for the goal in this brief and slightly unexpected window of opportunity that was just gifted to him. There are, of course, numerous examples in many other sports.
The same is true in life, as well. No matter how far down the wrong path you think you've gone, no matter how bad you think you are, and no matter how badly things are going for you, there is no such thing as a lost cause. Neither you nor your life is beyond redemption. Three years ago, my Lenten Season was effectively nonexistent. This was not just a Catholic-specific problem either because it was my whole life that was a bit out of sorts back then. But with a very well-timed Cursillo weekend (something I had been trying to go on for over a year at that point) which ended on Divine Mercy Sunday (very fitting name, by the way), the healing process began and I've been stepping up my game ever since. This year, for example, I plan to give up skiing for Lent. Yes, you read that correctly, Bryan Carnahan - former ski bum, current tree-skiing enthusiast, gifted powder hound, and occasional off-piste trekker - plans to hang up his skis for the next several weeks and, thus, probably for the rest of this ski season. That would be like a girl giving up chocolate when Lent begins the day before Valentine's Day.
I have come a long way in the past 3 years. That Lenten Season that came right before my Cursillo back in 2010 is now a memory that has become mercifully distant. Even at a time when things looked hopeless, I refused to give up hope. You all ought to have the same "never say die" approach to life, as well. For those of you who are Catholic like I am, the upcoming Lenten Season is an opportunity for renewal and healing. Don't expect everything to be fixed all at once, or even quickly, but something good will come of it as long long as you "never give up on a play."
Isaiah 6: 1-2a, 3-8
1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
Luke 5: 1-11
In ice hockey, it could be a puck brought across the blue line but with the defending players all in their own zone already - the kind of play that does not seem likely to even generate a shot on goal, let alone a goal. But instead of staying at his customary spot at one of the points to catch any wayward pucks so as to keep the play alive, one of the defenders for the attacking team takes the proactive approach and goes right up the middle to slow down a potential counterattack by the defending team. While driving forward, the attacking defender suddenly finds the puck on his stick, perhaps a rebound or an errant bounce or an interrupted pass attempt by the defending team, and just shoots for the goal in this brief and slightly unexpected window of opportunity that was just gifted to him. There are, of course, numerous examples in many other sports.
The same is true in life, as well. No matter how far down the wrong path you think you've gone, no matter how bad you think you are, and no matter how badly things are going for you, there is no such thing as a lost cause. Neither you nor your life is beyond redemption. Three years ago, my Lenten Season was effectively nonexistent. This was not just a Catholic-specific problem either because it was my whole life that was a bit out of sorts back then. But with a very well-timed Cursillo weekend (something I had been trying to go on for over a year at that point) which ended on Divine Mercy Sunday (very fitting name, by the way), the healing process began and I've been stepping up my game ever since. This year, for example, I plan to give up skiing for Lent. Yes, you read that correctly, Bryan Carnahan - former ski bum, current tree-skiing enthusiast, gifted powder hound, and occasional off-piste trekker - plans to hang up his skis for the next several weeks and, thus, probably for the rest of this ski season. That would be like a girl giving up chocolate when Lent begins the day before Valentine's Day.
I have come a long way in the past 3 years. That Lenten Season that came right before my Cursillo back in 2010 is now a memory that has become mercifully distant. Even at a time when things looked hopeless, I refused to give up hope. You all ought to have the same "never say die" approach to life, as well. For those of you who are Catholic like I am, the upcoming Lenten Season is an opportunity for renewal and healing. Don't expect everything to be fixed all at once, or even quickly, but something good will come of it as long long as you "never give up on a play."
Isaiah 6: 1-2a, 3-8
1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
Luke 5: 1-11
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