As I write this column the Blue Jays are tied 2-2 in the World Series. By the time this is published we’ll know who won. But right now, it is very intense. All of Canada seems to be rallying around this group of athletes. I was reflecting with my friend on the unifying effect this Blue Jays bid for the World Series has had on our country. It is a fascinating social phenomenon. I can say that because I am one of the people who has jumped on the bandwagon this playoff season. Why do I think people have latched on to this story so tightly? Because I believe the world needs something to hope in right now. Something that isn’t fraught with political tension and social division. Something that isn’t deep but still has meaning. Cheering on the Blue Jays fits those criteria.
I think the Church needs to pay attention. Right now, Toronto Blue Jays fans are unifying the masses in a way the Church could only ever hope to do. They are better evangelists than the Church could ever hope to produce. And the dedication these athletes are eliciting is beyond anything any priest could ever expect.
Are these parallels superficial and over-simplified? Absolutely. But as Church leaders and Church goers, we must pay attention to what unifies us—not to mimic those things, but to understand what our fellow neighbours need. What this moment in times tells me is that what they need right now is a reminder that all hope is not lost, that there are ways for us to love each other, and that there is still meaning to be found in our lives.
By the grace of God, we have a chance to do that this Advent. In preparing for the coming of Jesus, we meditate on the meaning and character of hope. Which is the feeling we have in anticipation of the coming of Jesus and after his birth. Hope is also the person, Jesus, come to earth to reconcile all things to himself. All hope is not lost because Christ made a promise to us that there is a future without pain and suffering. In remembering Jesus’s birth, we witness love in its purest form, that of a child, and we commit to embodying that love in our lives. Christ’s sacrificial love empowers us to love one another. In waiting in expectation during Advent, we rediscover the meaning of the coming of the Messiah—a declaration of love to the entire world which is characterized by the defeat of death. The meaning in our lives comes from Christ’s promise of eternal life.
We have the message the world longs to hear. Let’s make sure we preach it this Advent Season. And let’s keep honouring what brings our people joy. Because it is in this listening and learning that we can hear the voice of God. We can learn from this moment in time. People want and need to hope and love and find meaning. Our calling is to teach them how to do these things year-round, not just during the World Series. I pray that Advent reinvigorates us for this task, which has become more important than ever.
