Number One and Football Season

It is the beginning of the college football season and as usual the talk is about rankings.  Who is number one? For those people who indulge in fantasy football rankings of players are paramount when drafting for a team as well. Following your favorite team or player becomes an obsession. Peoples life's revolve around when their respective teams play and streaming updates on their drafted fantasy players. When things go sour and team does not perform anger and disenchantment preside. In fantasy football you trade or release a player. However in today's Gospel Jesus makes it clear, we are to follow him as He is the one.  Everything else must take a back seat. We cannot attach ourselves to teams, money, work and especially family.  There are no trades when things don't seem to go our way.  Through thick and thin He is the One.

I always found this passage problematic, primarily as Jesus addressed the crowd saying, "If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children," etc. In my infantile spiritual life I was puzzled by this.  How could I possibly hate my family members and follow Jesus? Moreover the word hate itself is such a strong word. Looking at the context of this passage in its Semitic meaning, Jesus is saying commitment to God is to have primacy in one's life.  Family members are not be abandoned literally but to be released to the care of God. For anyone who has been a parent this can be a challenge.  We all want want is best for our children, but realizing that God's plan for them may not be our plan can be painful.  We become much like the architect  in the Gospel who does not plan properly.  When life takes unexpected turns and the plans we have for our children don't follow script our life seems to crumble.

Submitting to God's plan is not always easy as the cross that is to be carried can be overbearing and extremely heavy. Today's readings from the  Book of Wisdom challenges as well by asking us who can know God's counsel and reminds us that our minds can become overburden with earthly concerns. For myself this is a reminder that despite all challenges surrender to God's will is the remedy. Suffering may take place, but if this brings me closer to God it is worth it. Discernment through prayer in these formidable times set me on the straight path.

So no matter if the top college football team falls and others drop and rise in the national rankings, God's permanency as number one is constant. And for those who are seeking the top ranked fantasy player, there is none. The real player is Jesus and his ranking never drops as he will never drop a ball, fumble, miss a field goal, throw an errant pass or give up a touchdown.