“The Athlete of Christ”

“The Athlete of Christ”

By: Eric Gajewski

From the work “Fortress of the Soul”

And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us…

Hebrew 12:1

Brothers and Sisters I write to you in the Selfless Love and peace of the Union and Marriage of Jesus Christ and of His Heart and all the blessings that flow forth from it. My good friends as we pause to reflect this day on the trials we endure for the love of Christ and Church let us meditate specifically our struggles against modernism. It is true God allows evil in so far as it be a "learning tool" for the elect, therefore, what would we be without Vatican II? Is not this crisis molding and sculpting our souls into the “athlete” that God so desires? And what if the crisis were over in but a few years? It is true God could have ended this crisis long ago and rained down His grace once again for the many to see but it obviously is not so. God allows at various points in Church history for heresy(ies) to persist to “whip” His own into "spiritual shape". Nay, beloved brethren, where would we be without this trial? And so today, I  further ponder seven points for the “Athlete of Christ” wherein certain principles overlay between the great athlete of sport and the great athlete of the soul otherwise known as the Saints of God. 

First, the athlete decides himself to be better.  He must decide to better himself not out of self love but for the love of something greater. For us Catholics, we decide, to better ourselves because we love Christ, because we love Our Lady and we love the Church. We realize that my neighbor relies upon how willing "I am to go" in the Ways of Selfless Love. Without charity there would be no orphanages built, no homes for the elderly to visit, no shelters for the homeless to sleep in. What a dark world we would live in if everyone lived according the "law of self" and do we not approach that hour where Charity is nearly nonexistent? For if I choose to remain in self, I acknowledge I cannot better my neighbor, my teammate and ultimately the society in general. It is upon this first decision of a soul to better himself that the eagle's eyes reflect the scenes of Saul being struck by light on Damascus, by Mary Magdalene who first gazed up at the Beloved after falling in sin, at Peter who denied Our Lord three times and came back to realizing that what was at stake "something was greater than even he"…I feel the very Fire of this resolution which comes from that spark of grace and flows from the Sacred Heart of Our King. Yea, we must decide to guard over our hearts, to govern our tongues, to watch over our conduct and this cometh by way of grace which in the hour of affliction and trial shall giveth. I decide because I want in free will too but I want because I need too….yes this is the course of Selfless Love. For our hearts will not rest until they rest in Thee, therefore, in the beginning of every athlete of Christ there was a resolute decision to advance in the way of perfection and run the full race.

Second, the test of the mind and will. When the athlete prepares himself for sport he recognizes that his primary opponent is himself. Therefore, if this battle must be won within he must learn to master himself. First he decides than cometh the tests from God. No Saint ever grew in virtue without the Cross; no Saint ever expanded his own soul in the Fire Itself without first being thrown into the Flames Himself.  Yea, at every Holy Mass we run into the open arms of Christ and in this, we too, run into the open arms of the Cross which is meant to refine and strengthen both the mind and will. The great athletes of sport do indeed work hard but "the best" worked the smartest. And what can we say to those playing "mental mind games" in trying to ascend without the grace of Christ? The New Age promotes a "spirituality' in which the men leap off the cliffs but ultimately fall to their deaths below because nature without the Divine "never flies". Therefore, know ye, that it is the trial which weighs heavy upon the “self” so as to eradicate it! From these varying daily tests the great athletes of God saw opportunities not burdens; they saw the Crown and not the problems. They were thankful and disciplined and met the daily challenges with great exuberation and excitement and yet how often we complain. We are far off from they were O’ Knight and Handmaid of God because you remain on the cliffs as an eaglet and will not jump off the cliff to fly! The Cross will drive a man to stay “inward” in prayer and this is for good reason. The Lord wants men to view things from the interior and not the exterior where men of the flesh reside but, we, O’ Knights and Handmaids, are of the Divine. The great athlete of sport recognizes that he will never test his mind and will be settling for mediocrity and yet how many athletes for Christ are complacent and lax who live on the Isle of tepidity? Do ye not know who ye serveth O’ Knight and Handmaid? 

"Fear made me..."

“Whatever I do, I do it with a
hundred percent and without distractions.”

Georges St Pierre

Third, consistency in his routine. The athlete of God wakes early and heads to the gym to prepare his body ultimately for the game or race even as the athlete of Christ rises early in prayer. The athlete of sport stays up late to do a few extra pushups in attempt to further his “figure” but we who are of Christ stay up late to examine our conscience, to do various penances so that we can further sculpt our souls. The athlete of sport eats and sleeps well but we who are of Christ eat of Christ and sleep in Christ by way of deep contemplation. Both are militant in their routines knowing that he will not advance if he is not consistent in his practice. Even as the athlete of sport drags his body to the gym when he doesn’t feel like it, yea, we too, truly test our love for Christ when He seems the furthest away and yet we stay militant in our prayers and sacrifices. It is Christ who nourishes us it is Our Mother who sits along the sidelines during our “workouts” and encourages us on in this race of Life. Wherein, it was Our Lady who gave Christ unto us into this life and so thru Mary we return in this life unto Christ whose Face awaits us all who die in love’s perseverance. Even as the athlete would tie heavy weights unto his body and run in efforts to make his movements lighter on the field of competition, so too, is the Cross, for the Soldier of Christ which works to our advantage. It is this Cross which weighs down the self and nature so that the Divine man in us can hasten and move quicker. Wisdom sayest, “Where self is found alive the Divine is nigh not.” O’ Soldier! Give not up the fight and hasten to your daily routine with the same Selfless Love that drove Our Lord Jesus Christ to His own bloody battlefield upon Mount Calvary! We are not warriors of Christ because we can lift the biggest weights but because we can lift the most burdens of the shoulders of our neighbors; we are not warriors because we have the largest bulging muscles but rather have learned to train and develop the one muscle that ultimately lends access to our souls, that is, the heart….

Fourth, putting no “cap” on progress.  Verily, even as the athlete of sport puts no “ceiling” on the progress he can make, so too, does the Soldier of Christ. The Knight of Christ says "I seek perfection" and when he arrives at the top of this mountain and beholds the “burning bush” he will come down knowing, living and teaching there is always more! Yea, the Sacred Heart of Christ is an Endless Abyss of Love seeking to give gifts and favors unto His own and yet how many stand off on the sidelines only to observe. How many will complain instead of train? We have our own exercises to perform dear friends. We have Scripture and encyclicals to read, we have cemeteries to pray in, we have fasting to undertake, we have penances to accomplish knowing that in Love’s promise we will be made anew and further onward we shall sink into the Sacred Heart. “Drown, I would, in the depths of the Seas, make me anew, come now Mother Mary and lead me through this Fortress unto the seventh Floor, Thy ThroneRoom of our King!” And if I shall fall in sin once I shall rise in the trust thy love’s forgiveness twice. There is no perfect athlete of sport nor is there a perfect Saint but only Perfection Himself is who we ought seek. The great athletes are humble and unrelenting and so Knights and Handmaids, pursue in your heart’s every action, the Sacred Heart of Christ, which we can see, even at the end of this life’s finish line. 

Fifth, preparation and execution.  Be organized avoid sloth. Discern thru prayer a plan by which the day can be “attacked” and if God takes away one “avenue” see His Hand in it. It is one thing to have a plan for the day in terms of your spiritual exercise and it is another to enact upon them. For many are called but the few, actually do….The most prepared teams have the best individually prepared players and coaches. Therefore, how ought we prepare if we are to be a good representation of the team of Christ? All the long hours a player and team will go through for just one point in time, a simple game…And yet we, athletes of Christ, prepare our whole lives for one point in time, our death!  How shall a man sneak by Christ at Judgment? A man who prepares poorly plays poorly even as a man who prepares not his own heart will pray poorly. Remember, O’ Knight and Handmaid, you are not your own! We do not seek honors and platforms and "pats on the back" we seek perfection in all our actions and our reward is Christ alone. Let nothing be done through contention, neither by vain glory: but in humility, let each esteem others better than themselves: Each one not considering the things that are his own, but those that are other men' s. For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…Phillipians 2: 3-5

Sixth, surrounding oneself with the likeminded.  Every team has a common goal and therefore the team is composed of individuals dispensed toward this common goal. And if one player on the team is full of himself it hinders the progress of the team and therefore we must see our own actions as having the same spiritual consequences. If I sin it brings down the team; if I do not seek to save souls for Christ and His only Catholic team then what good am I for? Do I not endure the trials so that not only I can see His Face but also likewise advance in charity for the betterment of my neighbor. Yea, Love is greater than I or you therefore surround yourself with like minded individuals who have this same common goal. The degree to which I will walk with Christ is the degree to which I can demonstrate to my neighbor and edify him, therefore, let us walk together in the one common traditional Catholic Faith, the one banner of our Queen and let us all raise the standards of our teammates in holiness. If you walk with those who walk only for themselves you will truly walk alone. This is why we cannot walk with nor corroborate with those following Vatican II, we have two different faiths and gospels. Vatican II walks by way of self and tends to man but we who remain in truth shall walk raising the Banner of the Sacred Heart promoting Reign of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lastly, use the talents/gifts given. Do not hide your talent in the bushel. We have all been given talents to glorify God and edify our neighbors and yet why are we embarrassed or try to hide them? If God has given it... than use it... for it is of good purpose. Where my weakness would be found my neighbors strength would only come to my aide which ultimately comes as grace from Our Source, Christ Jesus. We must become an Army which sees that if my neighbor is missing his left arm than it shall be my right arm which will be lent in his service. Some athletes are born with physical attributes which tends to their success in sport but we are all born into original sin and tend to self and nature. Yet, thru grace we can rise to heights we never knew existed. If we seek we shall find for His love hast no boundary nor recognizeth time. The great athletes seek to be on winning teams and do not care for personal success because they realized that their individual talents were given for something far greater than their own self. 

We are, team Catholic, we are of Jesus Christ and how wonderful it is to see the different types of athletes that we are composed of yet who have the same common goal. So the only question remains are you just trying to “be on the team” or are you “striving to be the very best” and by doing so “raise’ the level of holiness of your other teammates, these members of the same Body? It is no wonder the Church traditionally teaches the majority shall first undergo purgation in the next life because so many were satisfied with just "being on the team". In summary, the athlete above all sacrifices his body, mind, heart in attempts to win his soul which is desired for God’s use….for the greater common good. He sees his teammates and cares not for any individual accomplishments but takes enjoyment in being apart of this Divine brotherhood. Yea, he runs the race but does so in patience winning over his own soul with the hopes of winning others to the One Catholic team of Christ. He stays close to the Mother of this divine team, Our Lady, and is nourished and renewed by Her encouragement and the graces which flow throuh Her from Our Source. Mayst we all one day be able to say… I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7  May thee Immaculate Heart of Our Lady guide, protect and guard your heart everyday in this exile, Ave Maria – Amen.

“The Athlete”

It wast not I who first chose You

But You who first laid Eyes upon me

From atop The Fortress, You gazed

Where I walked below

On the dark “streets of self” aimlessly

And with Thy Love, I was raised

From an infant to an Eagle

Advancing from the milk unto the meat

And in reflection it was all a part of Thy Plan… so it seems

But I combated fear which as chains would keep my feet

Still Grounded by doubt and worry…

Verily, I would ask Thee…”Is this what I was meant to be?”

Walking upon the cliffs overlooking the seas

Pacing, wilst too afraid to make the leap

“No”, harkened Thy Voice from the skies on deep

‘You are an Athlete” And by My grace you shall fly

And I shall open your eyes wide in charity…

Therefore, deny, deny, deny "that self" which impedes!

Which locks your heart as hell’s prisoner

And keeps you ultimately from gaining your soul in mastery

For what the self  will sow sin assuredly will reap…

Therefore, when will men stop walking so blindly

And slow down their lives for awhile in simplicity

Only, so as to realize that…

It is not about you nor I

But rather it is about the brotherhood

It is rather about, us, the divine team….

Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. And every one that striveth for the mastery, refraineth himself from all things: and they indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible one.

I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air: But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.

 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27