I'm always amazed when I hear football coaches or players refer to the names for certain plays. And I'm not just talking about, say, a two-word phrase like "flea flicker."
There are complex calls that the quarterback barks out, which his teammates need to have studied the playbook deeply to understand and be fluent in. We all remember when Peyton Manning was yelling "Omaha" at the line of scrimmage and viewers and spectators could just sit by and scratch our heads.
Recently at Mass we heard from Acts, chapter 2, when it said in verse 6, "At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language." And depending on where you read from, that might be worded a little differently because there are different versions of the Bible.
The fact is, we all are given gifts and tools to, in our own words, spread the Good News of the Lord. We don't have to be as intricate as Peyton Manning or Tom Brady or other NFL quarterbacks. We don't need to disguise our message so that others can't crack the code and limit who can hear it. Rather, Jesus tells us in Matthew Chapter 28 verse 19, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of ALL nations."
Bruce Wawrzyniak is the host and creator of "Catholic Sports Radio," a weekly podcast that helps listeners find the right balance and priority when it comes to their faith life versus their sports life. Interviews are done with guests who are Catholics in sports -- current or former athletes, coaches, referees/umpires, clergy, administrators, and more from the pro, amateur, and scholastic ranks. The show can be heard at www.CatholicSportsRadio.net or via links there for most podcast apps/platforms.