Did St Paul Attend the Olympics?
July 27, 2012 3 Comments
St. Paul could have attended the Olympic Games in ancient Greece. He was in Greece when they were being played. He never mentioned the Olympics in his letters, but he has a lot to say about winning.
“Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. “(1 Cor 9:24-25)
He is not talking about “winning the gold.” The prize St. Paul is referring to is “an imperishable one,” and the race he is referring to is the journey we all make to God. The great thing about this race is that everybody can win the prize. But, like the Olympians, it takes determination and self-discipline.
Athletes from throughout the world are in London this week to compete for the “perishable prize” referred to by St. Paul. Most of them have trained for years to make it to the Olympics. They have willingly sacrificed many legitimate pleasures in order to prepare their bodies for a single moment of glory and piece of precious metal on a ribbon. They compete knowing that the odds are against most of them.
Our training regimen for our race for the imperishable prize is much simpler. We heard it in the first reading of the Mass last Monday. “…to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
I look forward to the Olympics. Let’s enjoy the games, but let’s never lose sight of our own race and the imperishable prize.
About Fr Stephen Smuts
Wow, such poor exegesis… for he forgot verses 26-27! This is NOT about a works-righteousness, as ‘the herald summons the competitors’, to BE = become, or prove to be one who can wear the incorruptible – “eternal” (Aphthartos, Gk), not liable to corruption or decay, (unwithering) Crown, (see 1 Peter 1:4 ; 5:4). Here it is the Victors Crown! A symbol of triumph, but here in St. Paul’s context, it is a metonymy, for reward or prize, i.e. “a castaway” = disapproved, or rejected for the prize, which is the Crown (which surrounds, or encompasses the head, a circlet or chaplet worn on the head). We certainly must not over press the metaphor here of the games! Btw in verse 26, we have “skiamachia”, where we get “shadow-boxing”. But this is certainly not about “shadow-boxing”!
“I therefore so run, not as uncertainly: so fight I, not as one that beateth the air.” (1 Cor. 9: 26)
Indeed Christians simply must submit to the daily discipline of obeying Christ, which ends and proves their “eternal prize” of salvation, ‘In Christ’!
Btw, in everyway, this portion of Holy Scripture written by St. Paul, exemplifies the great doctrine of the “believers/saints” perseverance to and in salvation, ‘In Christ’!
Certainly here, we have a big difference between “Catholic” and Protestant or “Evangelical” theology! The latter seeks to see the Christians assurance of salvation, as ‘In Christ’! (Rom. 8:15-18, etc.) There is not a doubt in Paul’s mind that the “elect” are the.. “predestinate.. also called, them he also justified, them “HE” also glorified.” (Rom. 8: 29-30).
I am not attacking here, but seeking to show the great difference between Catholic and Protestant/Evangelical theology!