11/11/01
Touchdown Jesus?
That I am not a diehard sports fan will quickly become evident. Nevertheless I like a good game, and especially enjoy when a Chicago team is winner. Of course, in recent years, that may be why I’m not a diehard sports fan.
Still, I had the good fortune to be invited to the Chicago Bears-Cleveland Browns football game on Nov. 4. Hey, whaddaya know? A winning Chicago team. Not just winning, but come-from-behind-spectacular winning.
During the game, though, I got to wondering if some of that exuberance might have a religious connection. And I don’t just mean praying for the success of a Hail Mary pass.
Why can’t religion be more like football?
There are a number of great possibilities: Excitement, certainly, is much more evident at a game than at most of our Masses. Not to mention involvement. Church would profit from that.
What else? Well, how often have you seen as public a display of celebration as the fellows who throw huge flags all over the end zone when the Bears score? For that matter, how often are people as willing to make fools of themselves for faith (“be fools for Christ”) as are the guys (and girls) who, painted orange and blue, parade through the stands?
Certainly most Catholics wouldn’t be caught dead (well, maybe then) praying with 50,000 people looking on. But a couple of Bears players did just that after one clutch TD. And right at the 50-yard line, too.
Why can’t religion be more like football?
Vocations surely would benefit from the sort of identification some spectators have with the players. But they don’t. After all, I haven’t seen anybody wearing “Cardinal George,” “Sister Mary” or “Father Bob” shirts. Nor have I seen too many souvenirs being peddled outside Mass.
High-fives after a particularly good homily might be welcome. (Then again, so would an occasional “Amen!”)
Of course, it’s also unlikely that churchgoers would as willingly let the guys in the striped shirts—the referees—have the last word.
Why can’t religion be more like football?
Well, there are a couple of real positives here: People seem much more eager to believe in miracles on the field than off. But, perhaps most important, there’s lots of room for hope in both.
Sadly, there were some things the view from the stands gave me that would decidedly not be good if religion were more like football.
There’s way too much testosterone in the stands. Probably more than on the field where the players, for the most part, understand that it’s only a game. That testosterone probably accounts for the major problem: the threats, ostracism and worse some fans of one brand direct at fans of the other. Such actions would surely have a chilling effect on interfaith or ecumenical efforts.
I’m obviously having fun with this, but like most bits of satire, there is some truth here.
By the time you read this, the Bears probably have tackled arch-enemy Green Bay. And emerged victorious, I hope.
Because after all is said, there is the great similarity between Chicago football and religion. It’s that expectation of miracles and the undying sense of hope.
Go Bears.
Tom Sheridan
Editor and General Manager
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