Sports Have a Spiritual ComponentRead Time 9 min

Spirituality influences every aspect of our lives. Whether you are in the business world, teaching or the professional life, family, single, clerical or religious, spirituality shapes our vision and challenges us to live with a consideration of our responsibility to God. It may seem strange to some that even sports itself has a spiritual component.

Being a “flatlander” (a person from Illinois), I have come to understand the extra holy day on the Sundays when the Green and Gold are playing. You immediately recognize that the populated late Masses in our churches have fewer in their congregations because the Packers game was scheduled. I was warned that the allegiance to the Packers was close to a religion. Wisconsinites take their support for the team with serious passion.

For most of us, a love for sports is in our DNA. As a boy growing up, the scent of spring meant time for baseball. The crisp wind of autumn meant football and the chill in the air meant hockey or indoor basketball. Playing baseball dominated my grammar school days. The cards of my favorite professional players, whom I admired, occupied a position next to the holy cards of my favorite saints. It was not that the spiritual life was distinct from the sport; the spiritual life was an integral part of the activity and helped define who we are. I do not want to give the impression that we were all praying when we took the field, but there is a definite character-building activity that takes place emphasizing a faithfulness to the team. This faithfulness reinforced and supported our adherence to our faith.

Making my way to the minor seminary, there was one sport that rose above all other sports, and that was basketball. It was in my years in the seminary that I developed my love for the game. In my high school years, I received an invitation to play and learn the game, and as I progressed in talent, I learned to fit in for the good of the team. In my years in the college seminary, I learned to play through pain and to trust my ability. In the spiritual life we receive an invitation to learn the Christian (Catholic) life with an ability to increase our involvement and use our ability for the good of our faith. It teaches us to progress through our difficulties and trust in God.

I often wondered whether Jesus played sports. He was a true man, and it seems to me that he would have been involved with the children of his age playing games that challenged his ability and allowed him to interact with friends. We do know that St. Paul understood sports. He refers to a sporting event — a race — to drive home a spiritual point. St. Paul said, “Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win.” Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we strive for an imperishable one. Thus, I do not run aimlessly. I do not fight as if I were shadow boxing. No, I drive my body and train it for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

Considered a saint by many football fans in Wisconsin, Vince Lombardi said something similar: “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.” Vince attended a minor seminary (high school years), considering a vocation. What seemed to be instilled in his vocational discernment was a force-filled determination to achieve the goal which led to his other quote: “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”

I would like to share with you my own spiritual insights from sports.

• In the end it is not winning or losing but only if you give it your all. I played on a team that was 4-22. However, I would tell you to this very day that it was a wonderful experience that created a bond among teammates, and I would do it again. Life may call you a loser, but if you give it your all, then you are a winner, and your effort will be affirmed by God.
• It is not in being the most talented player but rather it is in playing your part that helps the team. In the spiritual life, playing your part helps those around you to see Christ in your selflessness. St. Francis de Sales often reminded individuals that embracing their station in life with the love of Christ was the way to holiness.
• Games are potentially won or lost in practice. We develop habits that assist us in the perfection of our game and challenge teammates to do the same. In the spiritual life, we develop habits that strengthen our faith journey and offer a witness to others. Daily prayer keeps our mind on the prize, regular confessions assess our actions, and the Sunday and daily Eucharist joins us to the Lord Jesus, who is our salvation.
• Finding a good coach is essential to development. The spiritual life has great guides and we should find the one that challenges us to live our faith fully. The Church is filled with saints and spiritual writers. They assist us to utilizes our talents to live for Christ and his Church.
• We cannot play if we do not enter the game. In spiritual life, we cannot be passive. We must actively challenge ourselves to live a life committed to making Jesus present in our support for the dignity of life and care for the poor.

I have put away my gym shoes, and now look at games from the sideline, but I still feed on the lessons learned. I know that my spirituality was strengthened and challenged by my moments in sports. I offer my thanks to God for the coaches, assistants, parent volunteers and fellow teammates who challenged me to be a better person, knowing their examples helped me to be a good priest. God is the great timekeeper, and we must keep playing our best until he ends the game.