A little spiritual chin music...

When I was in fourth grade (Catholic School mind you) I threw my math book at my teacher because she made me stay in at recess and redo my homework for the fifth time.  She was a great lady.  I was a moron.  Upon realizing what I had done, I promptly ran and hid in the bathroom where I figured nobody would dare find me.  After she called my name from the doorway for about fifteen minutes, I panicked and ran to the Church where I sat in a pew staring at the cross.  Perspective was the order of the day.  This is where it hit me...literally.  I had done a pretty stupid thing.  I knew I was in for it.  I knew that my actions had created a bit of a desperate situation and that I would be the one encountering the repercussions on somebody else's terms.  Was this what it meant to find refuge?

Baseball is the perfect combination of team and individual effort in a game.  Nobody can help you when you are in the batter's box facing a Felix Hernandez fast ball or and R.A Dicky knuckler but you.  You got to time it right.  You have to adjust your hands and your hips.  You have milliseconds to make dramatic decisions and the majority of the time you will fail.  Sound like fun?  At the same time, you are not the pitcher and the catcher and the shortstop and the left fielder.  You have one position and you play it to the best of your abilities.  A win is a team effort.  Your presence and participation are imperative.  See where I'm going with this?

Sometimes we need to get hit in the face with a breaking ball that doesn't break.  Sometimes were are going to strike out or foul tip or get dropped looking in the clutch.  It is going to happen.  In our individual failures and miscues, isn't it assuring to know that we have a team?

My mom walked into the Church and picked me up.  She was pissed.  My dad was a yeller and he let me have it when I got home.  I was upset.  I apologized to my teacher the next day and got on with the awkwardness of fourth grade knowing that I had a seat in a Church that would always welcome me.  A worshipping community is necessary in the life of a Christian because we can only do so much on our own.  As a sinner, I know I need a redeemer and a community.  I know that my actions are going to derail my walk of faith a lot.  Spiritually, I hope to bat at least .280.

I love a good drug-free homerun hitter.  I love the guy who grinds out the base hit when the team needs it for the extra inning win.  But I especially love the consistant presence of player that understands the value of great at bats and the worth of a team.  I am a practicing Catholic Christian man because the pursuit of holiness is not only for me but also for my family, my community and my brothers and sisters of faith.  What about you?