Monday Night Football, starring the Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills, was on television last night. I watched it. In the final minute, a close-up of Brady Quinn, who attended the University of Notre Dame, where Touchdown Jesus watches over the football stadium, revealed him kneeling, head bowed, eyes closed, praying. Praying? How can I say that? Well, when the Browns' kicker made his career-longest field goal for three points and the lead a few moments earlier, Brady raised his arms heavenward, looking up in supplication, then pointed to his maker in obvious thanks. He was praying that his team would win, that Buffalo's kicker would miss a long field goal attempt, giving the Browns a victory.
I'm not singling out Brady Quinn. Watch any athletic event. Players make the Catholic sign-of-the-cross (there's a name for that, but I'm far removed in time and space from Sister Mary Ophelia and fourth grade catechism class) or point up toward the ceiling of the arena after a basket. Baseball players make little crosses in the dirt in front of home plate with their bats when facing the opposing pitcher (I know that because, as a catcher, I would then do my own grounds-keeping, prick that I was). Athletes thank the Lord for victory in interviews, dedicate the game to Jesus, and say prayers before and after games.
Brady Quinn signed with the Browns for around $20,000,000 over four years -- a $7,500,000 signing bonus being part of that.
Almost 12,000,000 adults and children went hungry at some point during last year, according to newest reports of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and over 36,000,000 had trouble coming up with money to eat adequately. 691,000 children went hungry during 2007.
In the United States of America.
I'm hoping that Brady Quinn's god was listening to the prayers of all those hungry people last night, rather than Brady Quinn's prayers.
But a lot of those hungry people don't pray for food, having lost faith long ago, faith in their god, faith in their country, faith in their neighbors.
Donate some money -- a few dollars -- to a local food bank. Volunteer some time to help feed some people at the local shelter, church, or school on not only Thanksgiving, but at other times. Prayers don't seem to be working all that well, what with all the moneyed athletes vying for attention and tying up the prayer lines to the Almighty.
Posted by Bill at November 18, 2008 05:14 PM