Sunday, April 12, 2026 – The Second Sunday of Easter (Sunday of Divine Mercy)
You could not have wished for a more perfect Opening Day for the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, March 26. The sun shined brightly with the temperatures in the unseasonable 70-80-degree range. Thousands lined the streets of Over-The-Rhine and downtown to watch the pageantry of the Findley Market Parade. Restaurants and local “watering holes” were filled with happy customers. Reds fans were excited as their team prepared to embark on what is hoped to be a season of great success. Great American Ballpark was filled to watch the first game of the year. Spring was truly in the air, and all was well with the world.
But then nightfall came and everything changed. Fights and acts of violence broke out in Over-The-Rhine and on The Banks. City and state law enforcement had to be summoned to bring to order multiple disturbances. There were multiple arrests. And what had started as “the perfect day,” ended on a truly sour note. The only sour note should have been the day’s loss to Boston.
The story of Opening Day this year has caused me to think about the anger which exists in our world and it does not take much for frustration to flare up openly. As we are keenly aware, we are a divided people and nation. The tension it causes makes tempers and emotions ignite as quickly as gas amidst a burning flame. The wrong word or action can change a positive quickly to a negative.
We need more to unite us. Now, unity of thought is impossible but hopefully we can learn to engage in constructive discussions of ideas of how we envision our world. Events and activities like Opening Day do aid us. There is no doubt that a cheering stadium for the home team, a performance at Music Hall, a downtown summer festival or a church worship service can bring together many points of view and many social-economic groups with a sense of unity and purpose. They come together to have a good time or for a common cause. In these settings people become humanized and seen as relatable, with personal ideologies becoming less important. We need more of these in our time.
What we must never forget is that we are the people of God. People wonderfully made in God’s image. People graced with multiple ideas and skillsets. Perhaps we need to appreciate our diversity more as a blessing instead of a curse, aiming to build each other up. In the grand scheme of our lives, our yearly Opening Day celebration is not very important, but it offers a model of relating and socializing which can go a long way in today’s world.