As this is Fr. Francis’ last weekend with us, I want to
thank him for a wonderful visit to our community and parishes. I am grateful as well to so many of you
who opened your homes to have us over for a meal.
It
has been a treat having Father around and we have been able to have many good
times together. Our conversations
were edifying and at times humorous.
One
funny moment sticks out as we were hosted at a family’s home last weekend. We began talking about hockey, and someone
asked Fr. Francis if they played hockey.
He said they did. I saw the
wheels spinning in one individual as they pictured ice arenas scattered around
the sub-Sahara of Ghana. Of
course, Fr. Francis was referring to field hockey, yet we naturally assume ice
hockey in northern Minnesota!
I
have to confess, I grew up playing basketball. Going to a small school meant we didn’t even have a hockey
team—in fact, the nearest school with hockey was an hour away. When I went to college I began to
appreciate this great sport.
Unlike many of you, I didn’t know the rules and had to learn how players
had to stay onsides, stay out of the box and effectively score goals along the
way.
To
prepare for this homily, I did some research on the rules of hockey. Did you know that Hockey USA has a
130-page book on these? Besides
the basics, there are rules for how much a stick can be bent, dimensions of
pads and precise measurements for the goal and rink. Theoretically, I could take this book and memorize these
regulations. I could become
knowledgeable about the rules of the game. But would this make me a good player?
No! I can barely skate, and can’t even
skate backwards!
St.
Paul writes a powerful line in the book of Romans: “Love is the fulfillment of the law.” I want to use hockey to compare with the fulfillment of the
Law in the Old Testament.
First,
like any sport, it is necessary to know the rules of the game. I can’t pick up the puck and skate with
it down the rink. Any athlete must
play and compete within the rules of their sport. Yet following the rules isn’t enough—an athlete must strive
to win. So too, we must know the
rules of life (like the Ten Commandments). Yet while knowing them is necessary, this isn’t sufficient
for living out Jesus’ call.
In
fact, Jesus’ harshest critiques did not come to prostitutes, sinners or tax
collectors. They were directed to
the scribes and Pharisees who were proud of how well they followed the letter
of the Law. Jesus condemned them
because they didn’t love in the process.
There
is a danger for Catholics to fall into the same trap. We may think our worth is only as great as conform to the
list “Do this, don’t do that.”
This can lead to living out our faith in a mechanical or even fearful
way.
In
junior high, my basketball coach was terrifying to me. He was quick to criticize and one
mistake led to being benched. His
style caused me to play in fear to avoid making mistakes. And what happens to athletes who try so
hard not to make mistakes? They
inevitably make mistakes!
Brothers
and sisters, we are not called simply to follow rules. We don’t need to live in fear of making
mistakes. While it is necessary to
strive to obey God and the Church’s commandments, our greatest call is for something. God wants us to live excellent lives. He calls us to live for Him. He beckons us to win!
Love
is the fulfillment of the Law. As
we live out our Catholic lives, may love be the goal that permeates all we do.
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