"There's always next year."

Well, it’s over. Baseball that is - my ‘other’ religion.  It was disappointing season for my Cubbies. (I’m comforted only by the fact that Reds fans feel the same way.)  Spring always brings such hope.  It’s the excitement of resurrection!  New players, new line ups, the rekindling of faith.  The previous season is long forgotten and we start anew.

Then, it happens.  Bad pitching.  No runs manufactured.  Losses in extra innings.  All of a sudden it’s July and terribly obvious that there will be no opportunity to practice your faith in that extraordinary and magical month of October.   The autumnal equinox ushers in tomb-like quietness.  What does one do to survive this dark night of the soul? One might ask what does one do to shake off the ‘ho-hums’ when we find Church to be less than what we’d hoped or when we feel that the Divine has let us down.  

It may sound illogical, but the best thing to do is keep the faith in the midst of doubt.  Attend and be a weekly part of what is ultimately the Eternal Game.  Come to worship to be a part of community.  It is those folks who come only to see a “star” player, or a good preacher, who often are disillusioned by a bad outing.  Come to church willing to be involved personally.  People who come just for the ‘show’ – the vestments, the music, the chanting – miss the joy experienced in receiving the sacraments.  Think about it.  Could you go to a ballgame and not sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in the 7^th inning stretch with your fellow believers? I didn’t think so.

Moments of perfection, moments of failure are just that – moments.  Keeping the faith requires that we acknowledge all of the moments of our lives as the “multiplicity of movements¹” with God and with our fellow human beings  that move us closer to unity with each other.  The dark days and nights, while difficult to experience, actually prepare us to be ready to spring up when the time is right.  So, don’t despair in the off-season.  In the Big-Inning, God created everything and God continues to create new life from chaos.  It’s so with nature, it’s so with you.  

I think that’s a theological way of saying “There’s always next year.” 

¹Thorn, John. “Thorn Pricks: Baseball as a National Religion.” http://thornpricks.blogspot.com/2008/04/baseball-as-national-religion.html