Thursday, October 2, 2014

Discipleship and Basketball

A reflection on the readings for Wednesday of the 26th Week of Ordinary Time
October 1, 2014, Memorial of St. Therese of the Child Jesus
Job 9: 1-12, 14-16; Ps 88; Lk 9:57-62

As many of you know, last year the University of Dayton Mens Basketball Team played very well in the NCAA Tournament, making it to the Elite Eight. For two weeks, it's all Sean and I talked about. Some placed signs (I 'heart' UD) by their doors. 



UD made national headlines. Fans traveled all over the country to watch them play. But, their tournament success didn't reflect the whole season. In the middle of the season, the team was losing. They were disorganized and not playing well. Fans were losing confidence and getting discouraged. But, then, something happened. The team had a change of attitude which was described in UD Magazine as a “'True Team' dedication, when starting pride took a backseat to an all-in enthusiasm and unwavering faith in one another.” In the end, this “all-in” attitude was important for their success. This all-in attitude helped to turn things around.



So, what does UD basketball have to do with the path of discipleship? In today's Gospel, we hear Jesus (our coach) invite us (the team) to this same dedication and “all-in” attitude. He says that disciples will have no place to rest, “Let the dead bury the dead,” and there is no time to say farewell to your family. Jesus isn't being mean or unrealistic. No. He is telling us what it means to be a disciple. It requires giving your whole self to the Reign of God. It means to make the Reign of God the sole focus of your life. It needs dedication and an “all-in” determination. There is no place for a half-disciple. (Fr. Chaminade liked to use this phrase when speaking about the religious of his foundation – there was was no place for a “half-religious.”) Jesus calls us to follow him with our whole hearts and minds and bodies – our whole self. We must be “all-in.” This is the path of discipleship.

We see this “all-in” attitude in the person of Job. All is taken away from him. His life is totally destroyed, but he doesn't give up. He remains totally dedicated to God. He acknowledges God as all-wise, all-powerful, always present. God is in control of Job's life because God is God. Job continues to trust in God against insurmountable odds. The journalist might describe Job as having “true dedication, when self interests took a backseat to an all-in enthusiasm and unwavering faith in God.” Job gave literally everything he had to God. Job was “all-in.”



We also see this in St. Theresa of Lisieux whom the church remembers today. At a young age, all she wanted to do was to dedicate her life to God as a Carmelite nun, going so far as to petition the Pope to let her join when she was only 15. Through her “little way” and with great simplicity, she trusted in God. Even in the midst of several dark nights, she remained faithful to God. At the end of her life, she offered her terrible sufferings from tuberculosis to God for the salvation of the world. She, like Job, was totally dedicated to her mission. She was “all-in.”



Dear friends, discipleship requires that we give our all, that we give all of our selves to the path and mission of Jesus, that we are “all-in”. It is not easy. It can be quite difficult. But it is what Jesus asks of us, and it is the path that will lead us to new life and freedom. And so today, you are left to answer for yourself: Will you follow Jesus with your whole heart and being? Will you be “all-in?”

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