Christian Values . . . Olympic Ideals
If you’ve turned on your television, looked at online media, or read a newspaper in the past week, you probably know that the 2016 Olympic Summer Games are taking place. The opening ceremony Friday evening seemed nearly endless, but I just couldn’t stop watching as smiling, excited young people fairly bursting with energy and enthusiasm followed the flags of their countries into the huge stadium.
As the parade of 207 participating nations neared its conclusion, a young woman carrying the Olympic flag of the five interlocking rings entered, followed by a small group of people, dressed in plain navy blazers. As I wondered who this little group was, the announcer’s amplified voice came over the speakers, and the crowd rose to its feet and cheered. These ten people were Team Refugee, and they were welcomed and honored as full participants, even though they came with no national flag or identity. In the speeches of welcome and official declaration of the beginning of the games, both the Brazilian and International Olympic chairmen made special mention of Team Refugee, and reiterated the Olympic ideal of bringing people from all over the world together to promote cooperation, understanding, and peace through these games. For those whose countries could not support them, the rest of the world community stepped up and made sure they were included.
A little later, the TV screen was filled with a picture of the huge, iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer on a mountaintop overlooking the city of Rio. There stood a figure representing our Lord, with arms stretched wide, in a gesture of welcome and inclusion. It was not a great leap to see a parallel between those open arms of love and acceptance to all and the support given to the “team” without a country. These ancient ideals are more than words, they are the guiding principles that led to the creation of this opportunity for the refugee competitors,
The values that Christians are called to live by take these ideals a step further. We are called upon by Christ himself to welcome the stranger, and to show compassion and and care for the hungry, the homeless, and the lost. We do this in the name of our Lord, in gratitude for all that we have been given, and when we care for those in need, “the least of these,” Jesus tells us, we do it to him. We who claim the name of Christian are given the opportunity to follow his example, opening our arms and our hearts, serving and sharing the Good News.
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers
P.S. References to races in communications with the early churches compare the life of faith with the hard work and discipline of competitors. I Corinthians 9:24: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize?” 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Hebrews 12: 1: “Therefore, . . . let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us . . .”