Going for Gold

GOING FOR GOLD

Spiritual Figure Skating.

Have you been watching the Olympic Games in Vancouver?  I have been enjoying watching the various sports and been spell bound at the skill and giftedness of these athletes. As I was watching the games, I could not help think of the following scripture passage:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So, run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable" (1Cor 9:24-26).

ALL SEASONS SPIRITUAL GAMES.

On our pilgrim journey we are training daily for our spiritual Olympic Games, rather than a winter Olympics. Ours occurs 'in and out of season'.  Our gold medal is Heaven to see God face to face and to live and be happy with Him for ever. 

Imagine we are in the Figure Skating competition.  We need to compete in both the compulsory section and the free dance.

As Catholics, our compulsory spiritual moves must include:

• Attending Mass on Sunday-we feed our bodies every day. Feeding on the bread of life at least every week is essential as well as being connected to the family of God.
• Receiving the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation once a year between Ash Wednesday and Trinity Sunday.
• Abiding by the Church decree to fast and abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
• Accepting the Church's teaching completely in faith without 'cherry picking' what we do not like.

Will this win us gold?  Do these Olympic champion figure skaters put in the absolute bare minimum move requirements and expect to win gold?

What about our spiritual free dance section? How will our spiritual free dance contribute to our score so that we can win gold in this section of the competition? Some suggested moves might include:

• Being a committed Catholic whose focus is to obtain gold- that is, reach our goal of Heaven. 
• Putting in a gutsy performance to the best of our ability every day.
• Asking Jesus to pick us up as we repent when we miss our moves and fall. He will forgive us in the sacrament of Penance if we sincerely express our sorrow. 
• Practising again those moves (our sins, weaknesses and failings).to change them into what God desires of us. (e.g. if the sin of gluttony is a problem for us, we must master the virtue of self-control).
• Desiring and striving to love Jesus with our whole heart, soul and mind. If we do not love Jesus with our whole being, then ask yourself why would we want to spend eternity with Him, especially if we are barely in relationship with Him?

Let us all stand on the podium and receive our gold medal 

and hear Jesus say to us'

'Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into your master's happiness'.