Baseball and the Gospel Life

I enjoyed an evening of baseball last night, watching the Mariners on our TV with several of my Benedictine sister fans. I noticed how joyful the fans at Safeco Field were - lots of smiles and exuberance. It didn't hurt that Ken Griffey, Jr. hit his 400th home run as a Mariner or that Ichiro hit a grand slam. It was just a great night over all for my team! And it was about community. It was the TEAM that won the game - all the players working together. The team that lost was also working together very hard. It was not their night.

The Gospel life is like that, too. It is all about community. Sometimes we feel like winners! We have joy, energy, and enthusiasm for the mission. And sometimes we feel like losers. Where are the light and the pats on the back and the peace anyway? Well, community is about living together with the beauties and the beasts within and around us. Christian living does not mean we will feel great every day. It does mean that we are part of a team, that we work hard in the service of God and God's Creation, that we encourage each other and be there for each other in good times and in not-so-good times.

Yeah, Mariners! Yeah, Everyone!