Often Catholics and evangelical athletes will get asked “Why do you pray before games?” and “Do you think Jesus really cares about sports and results?”
St. Paul used the term “I have finished the race” (2 Timothy 4:7) and “Everyone who competes in the games do it for a crown that is perishable but (Christians) we do it for a crown that is imperishable.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25. If only I may finish the race and complete the task that the Lord has given me, testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20: 24. Many don’t realize that in St. Paul’s time there were sports competitions such as the Isthmian Games and he was trying to make a sports metaphor.
What he is saying here addresses the main reason why athletes pray, namely that God wants us to offer all our efforts in sports (an all areas of our life) for his glory. Rarely ever are professional athletes praying for victory. They may be praying for all participants to stay healthy or that they will perform well. He/she may be giving thanks for having been given the gifts and for the opportunity to play in the first place. There are many good simple prayers that athletes and parents can say before the big game, here are a couple.
For athletes: “God please take this moment in my life and use me to give you glory and praise.//Take my passion for this sport and make it light up with your love.//Take my hours of training and let it bring inspiration to others.//Take my desire to be the best in sport that I can be, may you speak your hope and truth through me.”
For Parents: “Lord, you have watched our children grow in our care, to develop and flourish and to find their own way.//Bless them today as they go into this sporting event.//May they seek to be the best they can be and push themselves to excellence.//Come guard their hearts, their minds and their souls that they may be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.” [Lords-prayer-words.com]
As Catholic athletes we should always say a prayer to St. Sebastian who is the Patron Saint of athletes.
And then there is, of course, the Rosary. Daniel Panneton of The Atlantic wrote an extremist article recently criticizing the Rosary, suggesting that it now has acquired a militaristic meaning and it has become a weapon. As wrong as he is in much of the article he is right in saying that the Rosary is a weapon…a spiritual weapon. Given the role it has played in having prayers answered over the centuries shouldn’t our children and ourselves use it in relation to our sporting events.
On the way to a game we should say at least 1 decade and on the drive home (yes even after a loss) we should do the same thing. Even during the competition it is sometimes possible to say part of the Rosary. I often find myself saying aspirations during the heat of battle; words like “Be with me Jesus”, “Come Holy Spirit” or “Help me Mother Mary”.
Former National Football tight end Ben Steele makes Rosaries with, ironically, steel beads and he gives them to players and encourages them to pray regularly. He played for the Green Bay Packers and is currently a coach with the Denver Broncos. The married father of 4 children states that during his career he was let go from a team several times and he would always immediately turn to his grandmother who would always provide “a faith filled landing”. “She was always dedicated to the Rosary. She helped me realize that I/we should be praying the Rosary every day. There is a calm that prevails after which I find leads to better execution.” [Trent Beattie interview for Salvation & Prosperity].
The Rosaries that Steele makes are usually made for men with larger crucifixes and stronger cords. “The Rosary has been likened to a chain connecting heaven and earth so I thought this chain should be strong enough to hold onto and be pulled upwards.”
Other sports figures who have spoken of their love for and recitation of the Rosary include American Olympic swimming champion Katie Ledecky, marathon champion Alberto Salazar, NFL receiver Chris Horn, women’s softball star and coach Alyson Habetz and the most legendary sports broadcaster in history Vin Scully. Like Ben Steele, Ledecky also says that saying the Rosary before every race is very calming. Salazar’s message is “Turn off your cell phone and radio and in the 20-minute drive home you can say the Rosary”. As for Vin Scully he passed away recently at the age of 94. He called the Brooklyn/L.A. Dodger games for 67 years. He was known as an incredibly kind man who lived the gentleness of Christ. Scully was so in love with the Rosary that he recorded an audio CD of the Rosary for Catholic Athletes for Christ. “Her prayers are more powerful than those of the rest of heaven combined. No one was closer or more devoted to Christ on earth so it only makes sense to see the same thing happen in heaven.” [National Catholic Register Oct. 4, 2013]
The Catholic organization SportsLeader is responsible for getting hundreds of student athletes to pray the Rosary together at several Catholic high schools in the eastern U.S. a project that I believe would be very welcome in our Catholic schools. We need to encourage our child athletes to pray for and during their sports experiences.
