Trip to Lambeau Field reminds Sister of life's "pre-season"
by Sister Elise Cholewinski
The summer was winding down, there was a hint of autumn in the air, and for those of us in Wisconsin, the excitement of a new Green Bay Packers’ football season was escalating. I happened to receive two tickets for a pre-season game from a friend, and one Thursday evening another Sister and I were there, sitting above the north end zone at Lambeau Field. The Packers played very well and won the game. The final touchdown, late in the fourth quarter, was made right in front of us. If this is a preview of things to come, it’s going to be a great season.
Religious life is like a pre-season football game; it is truly an image of what the reign of God will be like in eternity. The Sacred Scriptures present us with the vision of a new Jerusalem, adorned like a bride for her husband. In the life to come, all people will be married together to their God. Women and men religious, through their vow of celibacy, dedicate their lives to God alone. Seeking no other exclusive relationship, they portray for the Church and the world a picture of the future, when all will be wedded to Christ.
If a pre-season game stirs up excitement in football fans, religious life can likewise ignite a spark of anticipation for the future in the hearts of all people as they journey toward the celebration of the eternal wedding banquet.