FR TIM  28.4.24

For many of us, sport plays a significant role in our lives. We support our football, cricket or rugby teams and our interests often expand when there are significant events like the Olympics, or the big golfing and tennis events when we pin our hopes on our fellow country men and women to do well. I have always been fascinated at the way St Paul occasionally uses sport when writing about the spiritual life. Most notably in his first letter to the Corinthians (9.24ff) he compares our spiritual lives to the runners at the stadium and the fighters at the games, all going into “strict training… to win a wreath that will wither away”. And he reminds us that if we are equally as single-minded about our spiritual welfare, we can all win the prize that Jesus has in store for us.  I realise everyone is not sport orientated, but St Paul’s message is clear, and I realise that I, for one, need to take heed once again. It is all very well chasing the 10,000 steps each day, but there is more to our well-being than physical exercise. For example, we all need time to retreat and reflect and indeed for those of us who have committed our lives to the Redemptorists we are expected to make an annual retreat: something I have not found time for recently. Sometimes I have thought that this is a kind of luxury and I wonder how busy mums and dads are expected to nurture their spiritual lives.

St Francis de Sales, Bishop of Geneva, was a wonderfully practical saint from the late Middle Ages (1567–1623) and wrote a powerful reflection reminding everyone that our devotional life depends on our circumstances: “The practice of devotion must differ for the gentleman and the artisan, the servant and the prince, for the widow, the young girl or wife. Further, it must be adapted to their particular strength, circumstances and duties. Is the solitary life of the Carthusian suited to a bishop? Should those who are married practise the poverty of a Capuchin?” So over to you to work out what is best for you. And I will try to work out how to lead a more balanced and fruitful life as well.