Sunday, March 30, 2025 – The Fourth Sunday of Lent
Two weeks ago, the Purcell Marian Girls basketball team won its fourth straight Ohio High School basketball championship. This is a feet seldom accomplished by any high school, college or professional team. Of the countless championships won throughout the years, there have been only a handful of teams which have won back-to-back-to-back and so on titles, namely like the UCLA Bruins basketball team, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Yankees and Oakland A’s. As I consider the accomplishments of these Purcell Marian teams, I have tried to think of the significance which goes beyond the games, the scores, the game plans etc. What can we learn from these young women and apply it to life circumstances?
Initially I think of Jesus parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21) who built big barns to store his grain and then decided to relax and take it easy assuming that he was set for life and did not need to put forth any further effort. God said to him, “You fool, This very night your life is being demanded of you.” For the Purcell Marian girls, they could have been satisfied with one, or perhaps two titles. The road to these championships is difficult and needs a bit of luck, and they could have said they made their mark and that was enough—losing their hunger to excel. They could have relaxed. Did they—NO!!! These girls strived for more. They knew they had the God given skills to accomplish even more, and with this determination, they did.
For all of us, there is the natural tendency to want to say that “X” is enough. We like to reach that given plateau and “call it a day.” We say, “I have done my share and that is enough. Others can finish or do more.” The truth is that God never feels we have reached that plateau and is constantly calling us to further growth and utilizing our skills/new skills for the common good. Yes, as we age, we will slow down and need to evaluate what can and cannot achieve. But there is always some way we can continue to contribute to those around us. We must remain open to these possibilities.
As we rejoice and celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of these young athletes at Purcell Marian, may their dedication to ongoing excellence call us to stive and achieve more and to use our God-given ability to make a better world for us and our children who will follow us. And to use a Purcell Marian motto: to be Outstanding Among All!!!