Ash Wednesday: Matthew 6:1-6; 16-18
Last summer, we admired the grace and skill of the athletes who competed in the Olympics in Rio. More recently, New England football fans could rejoice in the success of the Patriots – and marvel at the grace and skill of Tom Brady, even at the (relatively) old age of 39! Whether we look to professional or amateur sports of all kinds, we see men and women athletes who impress us with their skills, and who also show a certain joy at competing and reaching their goals. But what enables them to succeed? What frees and empowers them to attain their goals?
It’s something we don’t see during games or at meets. It’s practice. It’s work on fundamentals. It’s the daily grind and sacrifice and commitment that athletes go through to train themselves physically and mentally. By that constant work on the fundamentals, they get their bodies in the best possible shape, hone their skills, and reach the point where they intuitively know what to do and how to do it. They are freed from being overly self-conscious and are enabled to just do their sport or event for the sheer joy of it. And the path to this freedom and joy? Doing the fundamentals, every day. Continue reading “Fundamentals”