"The pageantry of the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro . . . was again a wonderful celebration of harmony and friendship, hope and goodwill among mankind. As we cheer on some of our local athletes,
we can also learn many valuable lessons from this international
competition, which in antiquity began 776 years before the birth of
Jesus, and from sports in general.
"In the Jubilee Year of 2000, which included an official Jubilee of Sports, Saint John Paul II remarked
to a group of athletes that sports are an important means to 'the
overall development of the person and a very useful element in building a
more human society. A sense of brotherhood, generosity, honesty and
respect for one's body - virtues that are undoubtedly essential for
every good athlete - help to build a civil society where antagonism is
replaced by healthy competition, where meeting is preferred to conflict,
and honest challenge to spiteful opposition.
"In watching past Olympics, I have been intrigued by interview after
interview of the victorious athletes. One by one they explained how they
had set aside everything else in life to concentrate their full
energies, attention and prowess on developing their God-given gifts and
honing their expertise in a particular area to a precision that would
make them the best. Each repeated as if part of a refrain: 'practice,
practice, practice!'
"Our everyday lives off the field are much like that experience. At
the core of faithful virtuous living is practice. We need to train
ourselves, 'to get in shape,' says Pope Francis, “so that we can face every situation in life undaunted, bearing witness to our faith."
In a recent commentary in the Washington Post, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, reflected on this attitude of athletes also applies to the "acquisition of virtue and strengthening of faith."
To access Cardinal Wuerl’s complete essay, please visit:
Seek First the Kingdom: Sports and the Christian Life (6 AUG 13)
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