Heavenly Football Game

The following post is from the assistant scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 68, who also serves as the troop's chaplain. The troop current has only Catholic members. He based this chaplain's talk on an article he found in a brochure that he had received. I thought is was very good, so I wanted to share it with you...

True education does not consist merely in the acquiring of a few facts of history, science, literature, or art, but in the development of Character. What do we mean by character? What is character? It is a desire to conserve health by keeping the body clean and free of sin. It is that of self denial and self mastery. It is the control of temper and being obedient to social laws and moral order to guide principles of life.

How is this attained? It is attained by viewing everything that we do in the light of eternity. In other words, to get to heaven. It is a very foolish person who thinks that this world is meant to be a stopping place. We are only on this earth a little while and then we will pass on to eternity. Where do we get the guide to fulfill our destiny, which should be heaven? Here is a good example.

We call it heavenly football.

Our life on earth resembles a football game. We are playing against a powerful team. Our invisible coach is Jesus Christ, our God and savior. Our visible coach is the teaching of the Holy Catholic Church. Our assistant coaches are good parents, good and true priests, and the good Catholic books and papers.  The invisible coach of our opponents is the Devil. His assistant coaches are the bad men and women, the bad magazines, bad nightclubs, bad company, bad DVD's, movies, videos, and music.

The referee is our conscience, which tells us wether we are right or wrong. Our cheerleaders of Jesus, the angels, the saints, other good parents, and our sincere friends.  The opposing cheerleaders are the devils of hell, and the enemies of religion, the Spirit of the Word and of the flesh.

The football field is the whole earth. Our goal is to the right, namely heaven. The oppisite goal is to the left, namely hell. The kickoff begins when we are approximately seven years old. That is about the time we start to know good from evil. That is when we begin to know the difference between the two goals. That is where we begin to win or lose. Our signals are the ten commandments of God, the just laws of the country, the duties and obligations of our state of life.

If we obey these signals, then we are sure to win. The ball is Sanctifying Grace. Every time we do, we gain yardage. Every time we commit a mortal sin, we lose the ball and the other team takes over. By making a good confession, we regain the ball. The Sacraments refresh us during the game and help us to gain yardage. Half-time resembles our summer vacations, when we rest up and come back refreshed and determined to do better. 

We play only one game, but it lasts a lifetime. There is no clock to tell us how much time we have left. Death will mark the end of the game. There is no chance of a tie score. We either win, or we lose. If we win, we win forever. We will go to heaven. The whole court of heaven will rush out to congratulate us. Our reward will be so great that no one has ever seen, heard, or experienced anything to equal it. Our names will be inscribed in the Hall of Fame forever.

If we lose, then we lose forever. All of hell will be loosed and all the evil spirits will rush to throw us into the hell of the damned souls. The pains of hell will be everlasting suffering. Our names will be inscribed in the Hall of Shame forever. 

So play the game, but be alert. Play Hard. Play with confidence. We have the best coaches. If we follow their advice our victory will be certain. We will go to HEAVEN!