- The Date: February 22, 1980
- The Place: Lake Placid, NY
- The Event: The Winter Olympics
- The Sport: Men’s Ice Hockey
- The Teams: USA vs Soviet Union
- The Enduring Quote that came from Broadcaster: Al Michaels, as the Crowd counted down the last 10 Seconds of the most improbable 4-3 Victory by the USA — “Do you believe in Miracles?”
And for those who may not know, the USA Team was just a group of young amateurs and the Soviet Union Team was a seasoned group of hockey players who previously beat the best of the National Hockey League.
And just maybe, the victory of the Mississippi State Women’s Basketball Team in the NCAA Final Four early Saturday morning (April 1, 2017) over the U-Conn women – winners of 111 consecutive games, (and a team they beat by 60 points in last year’s NCCA Tournament), had some also asking: “Do you believe in Miracles?”
Well, the Gospel today has Jesus asking us “do we believe,” specifically, in this case: do you believe in the Resurrection to Eternal Life?
But to make the point, He raised his friend Lazarus from the tomb.
Of course there are many levels to the Bible readings we read and hear and reflect upon today and every Sunday when we gather as “God’s People of Growing Faith.”
The raising of Lazarus from meant to lead us to examine our own Faith as Disciples!
Today’s Scriptures are meant to have us reflect upon how our FAITH is GROWING – hopefully not fading. How our faith is out there for all to see, and hopefully not putting our faith under a bushel basket (hiding it).
Today’s Gospel is not meant to reinforce a PASSIVE FAITH. It is very easy to say, “yes, I believe.” Today’s Gospel is meant to bring us to living our FAITH in active, concrete and meaningful ways, for a life time.
A faith that beckons us to walk in the ways of Jesus, more faithfully this day and every day…
A faith that is meant to support us in times of challenge and darkness, as well as times of easy and comfort and light.
A faith that is meant to touch our lives and the lives of others with hope, light, mercy, love, life and so much more.
A faith that is meant to be nurtured, fed and supported. Which is one of the reasons we gather here for Mass weekly.
A faith that is meant to grow and improve over time, to get better with age. Just like a fine wine.
Do you believe – Do we believe? Of course we do…
May our families, our children, our friends, our classmates, our co-workers, our “fellow parishioners,” the people we interact with daily… see in us a faith in God, in all that is of God — in the lives we live every day.
Lives that also invite others to walk in the light, to walk in the ways of Jesus, as Faithful Disciples.