Lenten Lessons from Michael Jordan

At the very beginning of Lent each year, during Mass on Ash Wednesday, the Church speaks in militaristic terms of Lent as a “campaign of Christian service” and a “battle against spiritual evils.”
 
In the midst of war, every little bit matters. Many things that lacked value suddenly become infused with worth if seen in the context of the war. During World War II, the donation of scrap metal to the war effort became a symbol of patriotism and a contribution to the common good.
 
So too in our Lenten campaign, we all have accumulated some secular scrap metal we can contribute and dedicate to a more noble use. In this spirit, I offer three good lessons to recall at the midway point of Lent, derived from three iconic Michael Jordan Nike commercials.
 
1. Lent isn’t easy! (“Maybe It’s My Fault”: 2008)
 
At the beginning of this commercial, Jordan says of his basketball prowess, “Maybe I led you to believe it was easy when it wasn’t.” He then goes on to consider how all the sacrifice, perseverance, and dedication he devoted to the game was largely hidden from public view. The commercial concludes with the suggestion that those who don’t give as much of themselves as he did to the game are “just making excuses.”
 
Responding with our whole soul and strength and heart to God’s invitation to holiness during the season of Lent—like becoming the greatest basketball player ever—is by no means easy. This reality, however, is no excuse for mediocrity! Trust that God supplies the grace sufficient to respond to his holy will. Then, cooperate with that grace by hitting the practice courts of Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—with even greater fervor.
 
2. Failure paves the way for success! (“Failure”: 1997)
 
In this commercial, a subdued Jordan states, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
 
Each time Jordan failed, he came back hungrier to succeed. The same should be said of us! Each of our failures should bring us back hungry to the Church’s sacraments: to be forgiven in Confession and nourished in the Holy Eucharist. Not one of our failures is ever wasted if it is transformed into the occasion of our growth in humility and reliance on God’s mercy. The next time you fail, say a pray to God that your failure need not be final, and ask him to transform it into a felix culpa.
 
3. Have Patience! (“Look Me in the Eyes”: 2008)
 
In this final commercial, Jordan makes a sort of profession of faith in himself: “I won’t let myself end where I started. I won’t let myself finish where I began. I know what is within me, even if you can’t see it yet. Look me in the eyes. I have something more important than courage. I have patience. I will become what I know I am.”
 
To possess patience is nothing other than the capacity to accept suffering. With all due respect to Jordan, the Lord Jesus is the exemplar of patience, as St. Peter professes in the wonderful Lenten canticle: “Christ suffered for you, and left you an example to have you follow in his footsteps….When he was made to suffer, he did not counter with threats. Instead, he delivered himself up to the One who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:21-24). If we learn from the example of Christ and walk in his footsteps of patient endurance, we shall have confidence that the Lord himself will not fail to complete the good work he has begun in us during these days of our Lenten campaign.

Mr. McHenry is a Second Pre-Theology seminarian for the Archdiocese of Washington.