I remember when I was a young boy and I saw a picture in the newspaper of some of the NHL players that were up on top of a huge mound of snow. They were helping shovel snow around the arena. And I kind of thought to myself that, "They're pro hockey players! What are they doing? They look like regular guys, helping out with shoveling snow. They shouldn't be doing that."
It's not unlike when you're a kid and you're out in the mall and you see your teacher when you're shopping. And you're shocked because that's your teacher and now they look like a real person.
And, there are a lot of great priests that have YouTube videos, podcasts... We see more of them, we have this vision of them, this idea of them in that more public persona, that almost celebrity-type persona, when in reality we should think of them as the celebrant of Sunday Mass, as someone who administers the sacraments and not as this type of celebrity because they are on YouTube all the time.
And, it makes me think of Matthew chapter 16 verse 15 when Jesus asks, "But who do you say that I am?"
So, with our faith, do we get those starry eyes at the times when we *should* and boast to people about who Jesus is? Or do we go the other way and hide our light under a bushel?
Friends, let us pray that our eyes might be open to the risen Christ all around us.
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.