Get Your Head in the Spiritual Game

We've all seen basketball games where a team calls a timeout and all the players huddle around to listen to the coach during that break. Timeouts aren't as common in the National Hockey League but they do happen occasionally in that sport as well. Plus, certainly, we see huddles on the field in football where the entire offense is listening to the quarterback give the play call or defensive huddles too with that group listening to their defensive captain. I remember one Sunday in church when the priest finished proclaiming the gospel, and when we all sat down to listen to the homily, I heard the person in the pew immediately behind us whisper, "This is the long, boring part now." My guess is that that person was about to tune out and miss the important message - miss the chance for some Biblical teaching and miss an opportunity to learn how to apply that day's readings to their modern day, everyday life. Imagine if one of those athletes during that timeout, in that huddle, let their mind drift and what the potential impact on the next play could be as a result of them not paying attention! If we want success in our faith life and in our relationship with the Lord we must always be alert and listening for Him. In John's gospel, chapter 8, verse 47 says, "Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God."