American religious holiday today
Super Bowl LII
Today is a very important spiritual holiday. The high priests and high priestesses of this religion are busily preparing for the occasion. Worshippers around the globe will be giving their total attention to the proceedings.
There will be priests on the field. They will be the finest specimens of male physiology. They will be displaying their prowess in bodily ways. They will be dressed in the shining robes of their religion. There will be priestesses on the sidelines. They will be displaying themselves to enhance the worship experience. They will be dressed in very little. There will be a half-time show of who-knows-what.
It will basically be a body show. The brawn and beauty of the species will be showcased in the most watched spectacle of the year.
And people, who otherwise seem decent, will waste hours of precious life watching human flesh display uncivilized and risqué behaviors. People who, otherwise seem to possess wisdom, will surrender hours at which they would revolt, if a Church service or a prayer meeting would dare to last so long.
But maybe that is the attraction to this worship experience? Sports is, after all, the perfect religion. No smoke and mirrors. No sleight of hand. What you see is what you get. There is no hypocrisy. Either the ball went through the hoop or it did not. Either it was fair or it was foul. When the bell rings, it is over. The score board does not tell lies.
In all this hedonistic show of flesh; real substance is sadly missing. The jolts of the gladiator contest are there but any enduring legacy is not. The allurements of the bodies are there but lasting value is sacrificed.
Where is the real/true religion? The real worship of a real Man whose body was also displayed – displayed for all the world to see. The Man who began the real and true religion to call real men and real women to serve Him, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Where is that man? The Man who never wore a Super Bowl ring but wore a crown of thorns. The man who was despised and rejected by the masses but will someday wear the crown as King of kings of all the Universe.
Can we worship both? Can we worship the priests and priestesses of this world AND the high Priest of the real religion? The high Priest whose body was also displayed? The high Priest whose body hung on a cross for all the world to see and to mock and to jeer. The high Priest who died that we may live. Can we have it both ways? Will He allow us that duality and duplicity? Will He share His space in our heart with the lust of a world that has rejected Him?
Many people will watch the Super Bowl. Many knees will “bow” at the shrine of this religion. Someday, the Bible tells us, “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” I will not be participating in this religious event this Sunday.
Someday I long to be among those who cast their crowns at the feet of the real Man – the God-Man. The Man who made Himself of no reputation but the man whose character is unassailable – the Man whose life is pristine goodness – the Man of God. The God Man – The Man who was willing to allow abuse without retaliation. The Man who died for me – and for you. The Man who brought and bought redemption. That will be real worship – worship that will last forever. I trust that we shall meet at that Spiritual holiday.
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