FROM THE PULPIT: ALL-CENTURY, ALL-TIME 'TEAMS' WORTH PONDERING

Voting is underway for the All-Century Baseball Team. Ballots are available at your nearest major league ballpark.

This is exciting for baseball fans. Those who watched this year's All-Star Game saw several generation of the greatest ballplayers of all time as the living candidates of the All-Century team were introduced. Imagine Mark McGwire and Greg Maddux on the same team as Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, and Cy Young - wow! I began to wonder- who would be on my "All-Century Team" of the saints of God? Or an "All-Millennium Team?" or the "All-Time Team" or Hall of Fame? Perhaps Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, or C.S. Lewis would be included. You may be more inspired by the Reformers, such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, or Bernard of Clairveaux. Perhaps exemplars of great holiness move you, such as "The Little Flower," St. Teresa of Liseaux, or St. Francis of Assisi. Perhaps your heroes are the great "Doctors of the church, St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, Gregory the Great, and St. Jerome. Maybe you most admire New Testament saints such as Peter, John, Paul, Mary Magdalene, or Mary, the "Mother of God." Or perhaps you draw more inspiration from Old Testament saints such as Moses, Elijah, David, Daniel, or Esther.

Who are your heroes?

We all have heroes, whether from "real life," history, legend, or sport or media figures. Having heroes is not bad in fact, it can be most helpful if we choose the right heroes, and for the right reasons. Paul said, "Imitate me, then, just as I imitate Christ." (1 Cor.11:1) As wonderful as professional sports are, let's get honest; it is just-a game. "Sainthood is life- the rest is just details," in spite of similar messages you may see elsewhere.

The heroes we "idolize" can be good for us if they inspire us to do better things, if they provide us with examples worthy of imitation, if following them makes us better people. Sports heroes may or may not qualify in this.

But spiritual heroes are definitely good. "In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and deserve praise, things that are lovely, true, noble right, pure, and honorable. Put into practice what you have learned and received from me, both from my words and my actions. And the God of peace will be with you." (Php.4:8-9) And, "Physical exercise is of some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future." (1 Tim.4:8) How much better will we as individuals, and as a society, be when we acquaint ourselves with- and follow- spiritual heroes.

Of course, Jesus Christ is our ultimate hero. He Himself invites us to "take up your cross and follow me." (Lk.9:23) Not everyone can be in Baseball's Hall of Fame, or on the All-Century Team. But anyone who follows Jesus wholeheartedly is a saint, and an All Star to God. Jesus said, "Those (anyone) who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them and my Father and I will come to them and live with them." (John 14:23) Not that's a promise for all time!