Well, it was not to be. But we are very grateful to England’s Women’s Football team for all their achievements in an amazing tournament. And for all the fun and excitement which they brought to us, which fair brought the country to a standstill yesterday morning. The team has given us much to be proud of and much to reflect on.
Competitive sport is very popular. So that the Lionesses are bound to be disappointed. We may elaborate on the technicalities of games and see matches as examples of superb playing (sometimes). But undeniably what matters is who lifts the trophy at the end. Which is why, to quote another sport, it was so thrilling to see Carlos Alcaraz defeat the champion Djokovic at Wimbledon. Sport has this unpredictable quality of calling forth huge talent. And we are thrilled to see it rewarded.
So is life a competitive sport? Looking around us, we might well think so. And even St Paul was happy to use the metaphor of a race, which all believers might try to win. But perhaps we learn more from losing than from winning: patience, which Mark wrote about last week; resilience; the rules by which we need to live. Losing gracefully, we learn when to acknowledge defeat, when to pause, when to begin again.
This week we congratulate whole heartedly those whose hard work and talent have been rewarded by good exam grades. But we pray also for those whose time is not now but is to come, and who meanwhile need our help and encouragement.
Jesus of course lost everything. And gained the life he shares with us. So that we can all become both losers and winners.
Lord our God,
grant us the wisdom
to use your gifts well,
and the courage
to endure the many forms of loss,
through Jesus your son.
Amen
Comments