Get Back On The Field
“Sacrifice, discipline and prayer are essential. We gain strength through God’s word. We receive grace from the sacrament. And when we fumble due to sin — and it’s gonna happen — confession puts us back on the field.” ~ Lou Holtz
Holtz was a great motivator for his team members. He was also a great motivator in the faith. He encouraged an embracing of the faith as his charges went through life because he believed that a firm grounding in faith helped considerably. I do believe that he’s absolutely correct in that assumption.
Aside from being a great motivator, Holtz was also a profound realist. He knew that mistakes were going to happen. He knew that people would drop the ball, pun intended. And he knew that people would fail. But that didn’t matter to him. He didn’t see failure as an ending. He saw failure as a learning moment, a building point, and an opportunity to seek reconciliation.
“Holistic” is a word that is often bandied about. There is a lot to be said for looking at life in a holistic manner, though. We are people who are made up of many complex things. We have various gifts and talents that sometimes enhance others and sometimes challenges. We have complex emotions. We have different goals. Being a people who are body and spirit, we also wrestle with right and wrong.
We are human. We are flawed. Simply put, our human condition guarantees failure. However, we are also souled people. Our souls strive for union with God and direct us to reconciliation with Him when we have failed, or, should I say, sinned.
Do your best today and throughout your life. Reach further than you can grasp. Go for more than you can accomplish. Push yourself to succeed physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And when you slip and fall, get up and try again.
FAITH ACTION: Make a thorough examination of conscience and if you find that you are in need of forgiveness, make a plan to go to confession. (Most parishes have confessions on Saturday afternoons.)