The Olympics and us

I wonder if the glory of heaven can’t be compared to the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

There - in parade - are all the nations of the planet. Where else, apart from the United Nations, do we see representatives and flags of all the countries of the earth?

I think the ceremonies are joyful and glorious, the smiling happy youthful faces of the fastest people of every country carrying their flag and proudly wearing their countries symbolic colours is a wonderful spectacle.

All athletes in procession represent different fields of discipline, and thus likewise in heaven the saints and others who follow represent the best from among us down the centuries from all walks of life: priests, religious, lay people, single, married, children, educators, pastors, preachers, philosophers and theologians, mystics, saints noted for works of mercy, founders of religious orders, missionaries, hermits, Popes, Bishops, martyrs, children, and so on. The medal winners, each having being raised to the podium publicly by the judges and scrutineers and timekeepers – the gold, silver and bronze and the other participants - represent the fittest and finest of each country. I wonder can the canonised Saints in heaven be compared to the gold medallists, the Blessed as the silver medallists, the bronze as the Venerable, each having being raised to the podium publicly by the Church, their cause for canonisation having been thoroughly scrutinised, evaluated and approved, and the others following as the Servants of God or those whose cause for canonisation been introduced.

The crowds looking on either in the stadium or at home are the rest of us being urged on by their example and their glory – we also are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, by examples of faith. As the ceremonies open there is the passing on of the Olympic flame and the dramatic lighting ceremony, while at the closing the flame is extinguished, and another venue in four years, seemingly an eternity away if we live to see it, is promised, where the flame will be passed on among the nations until the culmination of its lighting again at a new ceremony. We are called to persevere in ‘the race that we have started’ for ‘a wreath that will not wither’, and to keep the flame of Faith alive that we have received in baptism, never to be extinguished.  May we go out to meet Him when He comes!