GAME BALL

Ephesians 1:11-14; PS 33 Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own; Luke 12:1-7

Often times after a big weekend of football, whether it be highschool or college or even Pro, some body will get the game ball or will be nominated offensive or defensive player of the week.

This player impressed the coaches and did something to help the team experience victory at least one more week.

I wonder if God handed out game  balls, would any of us have impressed him?  Did any of us help others experience victory this week?

The saints are those who receive game balls from the church.  They are recognized as players of faith who impressed the world and society around them with victory and who continue to impress us as we journey in faith.

This week a couple of game balls went to St Teresa of Avila and St Ignatius of Antioch.

St Teresa was a woman of great resolve and clout.  She wanted to dedicate herself completely to the service of God.  She has several quotes that I think will be helpful for us as we journey in the life of faith.

She said w emus always remember the body wants more than it needs.  What we desire isn't always helpful in the spiritual life.  We have to discipline our desires just like we discipline our bodies in order to be spiritually fit.

Secondly, she said, true strength rises in obedience.  The yardstick for love is shown in obedience to God and to his church.  Rebelling against church teaching, doing our own thing is a sign of weakness not of strength.  We have told by our society just the opposite.  We have been acting as if rebellion is the true strength of soul and look what it has done to our society.  The yardstick of love is obedience.

St Ignatius was a big gun in the early church.  He was a pupil of St John, the writer of the gospel of John.  He was bishop of Antioch from 70 AD- 107AD.

He was arrested for his faith and was sentenced to be thrown into the coliseum to the wild animals.
In his life he tried to "imitate the passion of God."  Think about God's passion!  How do we imitate that passion in our daily lives?

He also said that together, we believers are like a choir  that in harmonious love we sing a song to the Father.  However, many of us sing a little off key and are not on the right pitch.  Our song to the Father has been drown out by those who are Christian in name only.

Lastly on his way to be fed to the lions he stated the following, "It is not that I merely want to be called Christian, but Ito actually be one.  YEs, if I prove to be one then I can have the name. Come what may:fire, cross, wild animals, mangling of limbs, crushing of my body, cruel torture-0ne thing, let me get to Jesus Christ.


He only wanted to be near Jesus.  Give me Jesus was his battle cry.  Click here for a song!
May you get your own game ball and experience victory for  the team.