Never Growing Up

Why is baseball called "America's pastime"? More than any other major American sport, it is a game of leisure--plenty of breaks, lots of downtime, and a long, meandering season.

As the Nationals went on the 20-6 run that would eventually culminate in their World Series championship, I was enthralled with this team. There was something different about them; distinct from all the previous, disappointing years of Washington playoff baseball. Was it their experience? With some late-season additions and moves, they became the oldest team in baseball. That experience certainly showed down the stretch. But they also had some young stars--Juan Soto turned 21 halfway through the World Series.

The difference wasn't their age or their experience. Most arresting to me was the fun they had: Soto's goofy grin and "Shuffle" at every pitcher, Rendon's casual nonchalance in the box, the dancing home run celebrations, the addition of a Baby Shark stuffed animal to the dugout fence. These men were not working; baseball is not a job to them. These men were playing a game.

What does it mean to be at play? First and foremost, it means to enjoy what you do. And in enjoying what you do, you stop worrying about the outcome. The Nats exemplified this play: when they fell behind--in no less than 5 elimination games--they remained at play. When calls didn't go their way, they kept enjoying themselves. They were resilient, to be sure, but where did this fortitude come from? They were convinced that baseball is a game to be played, not a job to be worked. They played hard, they played to win, but they had fun the whole way because they were at play.

When things don't go our way in the spiritual life, when we fall into sin, when our efforts seem fruitless, when we seem to have no hope in our Lord's ability to transform us or those in our lives, the Evil One tries to convince us to work our way back to God. But as we read in the parable of the Prodigal Son, Our Father doesn't want workers, He wants children! And those children, His children, play. They don't worry about the outcome, for it is in the hands of their Father.

The best baseball players are men who have learned to play the game deep into their careers. They slump less often and they're able to endure a grueling 8-month season year after year. They remain children at play. Yes, the Nats were the oldest team in baseball, but given the fun they had down the stretch, they could have been mistaken for the youngest.

The best priests are men who never "grow up.” They remain children at play, living only and always in their identity as beloved sons--completely dependent on a good Father. This Father delights in His sons and desires to share in their joy. As seminarians, we are preparing to be men at play. We'll play hard, play to win souls, but without a care, knowing that the outcome is in the hands of the Father.

Let's go Nats! Deo gratias!

To read last week's post--Is It Possible To Live This Way--please click here.