Last week, because of the readings, I spoke to you about kindness and being nice to other people. Well, that didn’t work out so good. I can’t tell you to be mean, but I can quote St. Paul when he says in today’s first reading: “Compete well for the faith.”

He’s writing to Timothy, a young man in charge of one of the first Christian communities. He’s a Christian alone in an un-Christian world. There are many people who don’t want to believe in his teachings about Christ. But he perseveres because he does have faith. He doesn’t give up.

His goal is to bring others to Christ and he will let nothing keep him from that goal.

In light of the goal, nothing must get in the way. Paul writes that not even money should be a worry for Timothy. As he famously writes, “we brought nothing into this world, just as we shall not be able to take Clearly, there is no money to be gained for a high-school football player. It’s about the game, not about the personal achievement.

In context, all that you have trained for, all the work that you have accomplished, all the support from coaches, schoolmates, parents, alumni- all has to do with you as a team. The reward is the game itself.

I get a little kidding because of the perception that I favor the football program over other sports. I simply answer, yes that’s true. I didn’t play football in high school, because we weren’t allowed to at the school I went to. So, I am fascinated by how complicated a game it is.

I don’t think football is this country’s favorite sport because people sometimes get hurt. Everything is to keep you healthy and strong and determined. It’s the finesse of the game, which is its own reward.

It’s true that NFL players get obscene amounts of money and the case can be made that detracts from the game itself.

But you are not going to make any money from your high-school experience. But you will gain the experience of brotherhood, the value of team work and respect of your school.

So keep focused on the 48 minutes- where all that matters is that you do your best- actually better than your best.

It’s a life lesson. I’m not going to tell you to be kind to your opponents. I’m just going to encourage you that you are not alone on the field. Sportsmanship is a great value, and you are, as a team, an inspiration because of your single-minded support for one another and how you accept victory or defeat with the same courage that Timothy and Paul do their work.

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