Contests
These days everything is a competition. A look at the primetime television listings reveals that most of what we are watching is people competing against each other, from The Biggest Loser to Iron Chef America, from American Idol to The Amazing Race. Who would have ever thought the words “cupcake” and “wars” would be in the same phrase? These programs illustrate our current culture. We are constantly competing for the best or the biggest “something.” On one hand, these programs provide a distorted affirmation to us. They tell us that our competitive egos are right on track. On the other hand, if we put ourselves in the shoes of the competitors, we can see a deeper reality in these reality shows. We can empathize with the person who needs to lose 100+ pounds. We can aspire to have the vulnerability it takes to win a vocal competition. Our desire for imagination and ingenuity can be stimulated by those who win the Amazing Race or become America’s next Iron Chef.
Unlike reality TV contests, liturgy is not a competition. Because the liturgy commemorates the reality that Christ died and rose for us, it is a constant reminder that God is in our corner in the contest of life and that we need to be cheerleaders for each other, sharing one another’s joys and sorrows. Liturgy unites us so that we are all on the same team as these words from the second Eucharistic Prayer demonstrate:
Humbly we pray, that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ,
we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit
Partaking in the Body and Blood of Jesus is meant to make us less competitive and more compassionate. In this sense, liturgy raises the bar of competition in the area of justice. We could create our own reality TV show to see who could reach out the most to those in need. Now that would be worth watching! AMEN.