While NFL [National Football League] general managers and head coaches seek the most talented athletes to fill their rosters, Jesus took a slightly different approach. Instead of choosing political or religious leaders of his day, the rich or influential, Christ personally selected simple fishermen and common people. He even handpicked a member of society from whom the Jews traditionally distanced themselves—a tax collector. Given that Palestine was under Roman domination, inhabitants had to pay Caesar what was Caesar’s, and then some. Tax collectors were typically Jews in the employ of the Roman government. Any sum over and above what was due Rome usually lined their pockets. As you might imagine, such “civil” servants were not welcomed with open arms, as their wealth came at the people’s expense. Yet, Jesus specifically called on one such individual [Matthew] to join his team.
Analyzing Jesus’ draft, we realize that there is great hope for the larger team of humanity. Think about whom Christ chose. Peter admitted he was a sinful man. Matthew was scorned as a pawn of the Roman government. Nathanael was initially skeptical about Jesus and his ministry: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Later in the gospels, we learn that Thomas was a cynic, thus the term “doubting Thomas.” Jesus did not choose the righteous, the powerful, the influential, the rich. He chose the everyman: the sinner, the skeptic, the cynic, the scorned. In other words, Christ has chosen us.
NFL minds wonder if anything good can come from a seventeenth-round draft pick. Then Bart Starr shines bright for the Green Bay Packers.… Sixth-round selection Tom Brady [won seven Super Bowl rings]! Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Jesus Christ conquers death and sin, giving hope to humanity. An aristocrat named Ignatius comes out of Spain to form the Jesuit Order. Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu is born in Skopje, Macedonia, and earns the Nobel Peace Prize as Mother Teresa. A goalie in his youth and later a volunteer librarian, Karol Józef Wojtyla never forgot his Polish roots, even after becoming the beloved Pope John Paul II. So, too, are we capable of great things, whether they be the raising of our children, helping out at a hospital, joining Habitat for Humanity…or offering a smile to a complete stranger. Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Darn straight it can! Ρ
From And God Said, “It’s Good!”: Amusing and Thought-Provoking Parallels Between the Bible and Football by Gary Graf (826221). To order, visit Liguori.org or call 800-325-9521.