Either Way . . . Jesus Wins

 

Come the national championship for college football . . . Jesus wins!  Jesus wins because he placed bets on both teams—the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the Buckeyes of Ohio State University.  Jesus can’t lose.  Whoever wins, Jesus wins.

The starting quarterbacks for both teams have proclaimed their presence in the title game to be solely the result of Jesus’ holy intervention.  Notre Dame’s quarterback Riley Leonard argues that the national championship is the work of divine choosing.  Leonard told reporters: “We’re the two main teams to just publicly display our faith the most.  I truly believe that Jesus was looking over both our shoulders throughout the season and put these two teams on a pedestal for a reason.”

 

Yup—Notre Dame and Ohio State.  Those are Jesus’ picks this year.  The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) had a school in the running—Texas Christian University but did not make the cut.  The Methodist team—Southern Methodist University—got left out in the dust.  The Baptist could not get it done with Baylor University.  The Mormons struck out with Brigham Young University.  Boston College—another Catholic entry didn’t show up.  Apparently, these fine schools need to crank up their faith if they want to play for the national championship.  Oh, ye of little faith!

 

I can see Notre Dame’s argument.  They do have “Touchdown Jesus”.  Surely you have heard of “Touchdown Jesus”.  It is a 134-foot mural of Jesus giving the signal for “touchdown” that can be seen from the Notre Dame stadium.  It appears to be “watching” the games from over the northern scoreboard.  Many millions believe that Jesus’ presence has some influence over the team’s performance.  Built in 1964 and titled "The Word of Life”, the team only lost one home game in the next three years (Apparently Jesus was on vacation when they lost.) including their first victory over Michigan State in ten years.  The Jesus factor was and is in play for the Fighting Irish.  Of course, at the same time the mural was built the university hired one of the greatest college football coaches of all time—Ara Parseghian.  Surely this College Hall of Fame coach—two-time national champion while at Notre Dame—coaching had nothing to do with it.  It was Jesus . . . it is the divine touch of Jesus leading the way.  Come on . . . “Touchdown Jesus”!  Who can compete against that?

 

Ohio State Buckeyes . . . I’m not sure how they got into the picture.  It’s not a religious school.  It is a public land-grant university—one of the largest in the United States.  It chooses no religious affiliation and is open to all the players in the realm of religion.  It is a smorgasbord of faiths thrown together from left to right.  Not quite sure they showed up on Jesus’ radar.  Whatever the case, the Buckeye quarterback is giving Jesus the credit for success.  It was Jesus’ choice.

 

Athletes and celebrities are always giving Jesus credit for their success here and there.  I remember one winner of some award show famously stating, “God damn!  Thank you, Jesus!”  I’m not sure it was heartfelt, but it was a great mixture of the profane and gratitude. These people do it all the time . . . they “cross” themselves before shooting a free throw or scoring a touchdown . . . they point heavenward . . . they kneel.  They give credit where credit is due.  All the winners do . . . after all, Jesus chooses them.

 

How come we never hear the “losers” thanking Jesus?  As you know there can only be one winner.  You never see an interview with the lose in which they bemoan the fact that Jesus turned and abandoned them in the “big game”.  Wait!  Jesus doesn’t abandon the faithful . . . or does he?  Ask the faithful on the losing team . . . the ones who were certain that Jesus had gotten them this far . . . and then . . . disappeared.  When the final score is recorded at the end of the Notre Dame/Ohio State with one of them being proclaimed national champion, ask the two quarterbacks.  If Jesus got both teams to the championship game—why did Jesus pick one team over the other to win?  Did he flip a coin?  Throw a dart?

 

I guess it doesn’t matter . . . Jesus wins no matter who is leading when the game is over.  The victors will proclaim “thanks” to the divine for making them champions.  On the other side of the field, they will be wondering . . .

 

It has been said that in war both sides plea their side to the divine . . . both sides pray for God’s deliverance . . . both sides put their faith in the divine.  Both sides want God’s intervention for their side and cause.  Want God to make them the victor.  Yet only one side can win.  As we have seen throughout history the victor hasn’t always been the one doing God’s will.  What happens to those on the losing side who prayed for Go’s touch for their side?  I guess they didn’t pray hard enough.

 

Will it be Jesus’ desire that Notre Dame win?  Will it be his will that Ohio State win?  Rumor has it that his father is big Fighting Irish fan.  Personally, I don’t think Jesus will have anything to do with whoever wins the game.  It is a game.  It is not “life or death”.  Far from it.  The team that plays the best, makes the least mistakes, gets a few breaks, and scores the most points will win.  That is the way that it has always been no matter how many players on each team believe Jesus got them there.

 

It is just a game.

 

In the end what is important is how the game is played.  That’s life . . . how the game is played.  Was there respect?  Was there compassion?  Was there justice and fairness?  Was there love?  That is what Jesus roots for—relationships.  To love one another.  To build up one another.  To want the best.  To be the best that we can as family because we are all family—all connected—the divine and holy recognizes the divine and holy in others.  That is what Jesus cares about . . . what would make Jesus throw up his arms . . . TOUCHDOWN!  That is what makes us winners.

 

God . . . Save Us!

Often, God speaks in a quiet voice.  It is not a loud, booming voice with flashy special effects that announce the presence of the Holy.  God is not standing center stage commanding attention.  No, God is in the crowd . . . or in the periphery . . . in the shadows of the borderland.  God is present but not in the flamboyant manner that so many expect.

On Saturday, October 12^th, tens of thousands gathered in the nation’s capital for a “Million Women” worship rally as a “last stand moment” to save the United States of America from satanic forces.  Though far short of the million hoped for, thousands gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to pray for America’s atonement . . . an atonement seen possible through the election of Donald Trump to the White House.  Together the masses prayed for Jesus to intercede . . . to intercede on behalf of Trump in November.  Anything less is the demise of the country.

 

There was a whole lot of rhetoric and posturing going on.  Lou Engles was the organizer of the event.  Engle is a self-described prophet and a leader of the New Apostolic Reformation—a movement of charismatic Christians who for years have portrayed U.S. politics as a spiritual clash between good and evil.  The movement believes that Trump is God’s anointed leader to redeem the nation.  With the election a few weeks away, I guess a last-ditch effort to solicit the Holy’s assistance doesn’t hurt.  From the bully pulpit Engle cried out, “Listen to the cries of your people.  Save us, God!”  Speaker after speaker made their appeals through worn and tired rhetoric and lies . . . God save us!

 

Too early to say whether God was listening.  God is busy.  It ain’t easy being divine and having to field an avalanche of petitions from the faithful and unfaithful.  Come on, think about it . . . just in the United States alone the Holy has been dealing with two hurricanes, an election year, and keeping the “anointed one” protected from assassination attempts and court dates.  I imagine God heard it all, after all, God hears everything—right?  At least that is the hope conveyed . . . God save us before it all hits the fan, and we are all in a real poop show.  Those there equated failure as the coming Armageddon—an “abyss of no return.”

 

The circus rolls on.

 

I have been told by many teachers that the way to grab the attention of a loud, unruly class is not to shout louder . . . but to speak quietly.  Shouting raises the noise as everyone shouts to be heard over everyone else.  Through quietness one must stop shouting to hear.  To listen.  And it works.

 

That’s how God works.  That is how God speaks.  Quietly and with purpose.  To hear the voice of the Holy one must silence the noise from outside and within.  Only then is the real voice of the Divine revealed and heard.

 

  Quieting the noise won’t be easy.  The election is approximately three weeks away and maybe the prayer that needs to be uttered is one of asking to survive the next three weeks as every person running for a public office ramps up the onslaught.  The noise is everywhere and comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and sounds.  I imagine many—if not most—are tired of it all.  Many—if not most—already know how they are going to vote.  Like some nasty water torture the dripping is non-stop.  Bonkers is knocking at the door.  It seems as if everyone is attempting to get in their last digs . . . their last poke in the stomach . . . the last “gotcha!”

 

That is what is scary.

 

God speaks.  The human part of creation doesn’t listen.  If humanity was listening, they’d hear loud and clear the Divine voice saying, “What are you going to do?  What are you going to do about the whole mess?”  God is not going to do the work for any of us.  The prayers of “God save us” are as empty as “the thoughts and prayers” offered for those less fortunate and survivors of catastrophes. Empty words.  Hollow words.  God is telling creation—at least the human side of it—that it is up to us to do something.  Something more than putting all our hope into a narcissistic, lying, hate-mongering, racist, misogynist, convicted felon hailed as God’s flawed choice for our nation’s redemption and salvation.  That is not the way of God.  If it is, then my whole life’s purpose has been a lie.

 

The voice of God that I hear is not the voice of God those who gathered in Washington, D.C. heard.  The voice of God I hear is one of love and love in action.  It is not a voice of hatred.  Not a voice of division.  Not a voice of condemnation . . . of vengefulness.  I hear love.  I hear a call to action.  It is a quiet voice.  In this there is hope.  I know what I must do.  I think we all do.  Come November 5^th we must all act . . . VOTE!  Love is not a noun . . . it is a verb . . . it is action.  Let your actions speak louder than your words.  Do something!