This year we are fortunate that Lent and baseball Spring Training overlap fairly nicely. It seems that with this intersection of the church/mlb year, 2011 provides opportunity for increased bodily and spiritual preparation in light of our annual celebration of new life and the restoration of all things - The Resurrection of Christ and Opening Day.
Lent is a 40 day penitential season allowing us to repent, examine ourselves and prepare for the Great Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Spring training is a month-long (plus 2 weeks for pitchers and catcher) time of preparation for the new season. As Lent is a time of Christian preparation marked by increased attention devoted to fasting, almsgiving, and prayer, I submit that Spring training may also mark for us a period of baseball preparation.
Here are proposals:
-Abstain from watching, reading about, or following any sport except baseball. Avert your eyes from NBA, NFL, NHL, and NCAA news and event. It will help cleanse your mind and help prepare you for the long season ahead.
- Set aside money dedicated to purchasing mlb.tv or a tickets to few games this season.
-Spend time mediating on the testimony of those who have gone before us. Watch Ken Burns' Baseball documentary. Go to itunes and peruse "Baseball's Best Games." I plan on watching Game 5 of the 1984 World Series, perhaps 1991 WS Game 7, or 2001 WS game 7. Read, mark and learn the inspired words of "Ball Four" or "The Glory of Their Times" or "Bill James' Historical Baseball Abstract." If you have not inwardly digested these books, examine yourself. Repent. You obviously have not experienced the good news of baseball. It is my fervent desire for all who endure the crush of defeat to be comforted by the pure joy of baseball so that we all believe, teach and confess in one accord.
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