Jesus was using His storytelling technique again. This time, Jesus told a story about an event that would happen 2,000 years in the future when a coach would win 151 consecutive football games.
Jesus predicted that Bob Ladouceur, better known as Coach Lad, would, through hard work and discipline, lead his team to an historic winning streak. Coach Lad used football as a tool to teach life lessons. His objective was to instill values like commitment, character, love, honesty, teamwork, respect and discipline.
The coach’s goal was to make sure his players grew in integrity and character, reached their full potential and always did their best.
Jesus predicted that when the winning streak ended, Coach Lad would do something no other coach had ever done in the history of high school football. Still in their dirty uniforms, the team boarded their bus. Coach Lad took the dejected players to a children’s hospital. When they arrived, they were encouraged to speak with the young patients. Some of the children had cancer, some were missing a leg or arm, some had serious infections and others had behavioral health conditions.
It was during the hospital visit that the players got the coach’s message. Losing a football game was one thing, but they still had their physical and mental health, much more important than keeping a winning streak alive. The players learned a key life lesson, how to be grateful despite suffering.
“Every player,” Jesus said, “will have a close personal relationship with Coach Lad.”
“Peter,” Jesus said, “have you ever considered being a coach?”
Peter gave Jesus a bewildered look, thinking, “Me, a coach? Are You nuts?” Peter couldn’t help but wonder, “Who is this Jesus? Who is this Jesus who talks about peace and forgiveness and now about coaching?”
Jesus said, “Peter, I will give you the key to being a great coach.”
The key to being a great coach and inspiring leader has nothing to do with power or glory. The key to good coaching is to want the best for every player on your team. Teach them about teamwork, working together, compassion and service to others.
Think back to when you were personally inspired by a coach who only wanted you to be the best you could be.
For myself, it was my high school hockey coach, Coach Brooks. He went above and beyond expectations. He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He built self-confidence. I wanted to be given the position of center. He knew I would be better at left defense even though that is not what I wanted. He said, “We are going to work on that, Billy.” He invested his time and energy in each of us as individuals.
Thanks, Coach, for helping me know that I was much more than just a left wing on a team. You taught me that I was a unique person who was called to serve others at all times. Thanks for helping me to learn sportsmanship and how to be a young man who was to follow the example of Jesus Christ. Thanks for being at my ordination and for letting me deliver the eulogy at your funeral.
All of us have personal relationships with others who influence us to be the best person we can be. It might be your mother or father, a special friend, a teacher, a boss, anyone who leads you to Christ. Always remember and always be grateful to God for people like that in your life.
The most important person we can have a trusting personal relationship with is Jesus Christ. Isn’t that the question today’s gospel directs towards us personally? Who do I say Jesus is?
Jesus asked the disciples “Who do people say I am?” I like to imagine how that conversation really went.
James spoke up first, “Some say you are John the Baptist. They say that because you are always preaching about preparing the way of the Lord and how we are to repent and love and forgive one another.”
“That is a good guess James but remember they did cut off the head of my cousin,” said Jesus.
Then Andrew jumped right in, “Others say you are Elijah, because like Elijah, you too raised a widow’s son from the dead in the city of Naim.”
“Nice try Andrew,” Jesus said with a smile on his face.
Then Thomas said, “People think you are the prophet Jeremiah, because Jeremiah was the prophet of peace and the one who challenged the government officials of his time. Jesus, you are always promoting world peace, and you are not one to back down in the face of leaders who misuse their authority.”
Jesus smiled again and asked the rest of the disciples “And what about you, who do you say I am?” Their eyes wandered, their feet shuffled, and there was nervous coughing.
Without warning, the disciples were facing the most intimate and serious question they had ever been asked.
It was Peter who stammered out an answer: “You…You are…You are the good shepherd, the gatekeeper, and the vine. You are the way, the truth and the life. You are the bread of eternal life. You are the alpha and the omega. You are love and forgiveness. You are the long-awaited one, the Messiah. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
So, the answer depends on our own life experiences. For me, Jesus is my hero, my best friend, my coach.
I arrived at that relationship through daily prayer and daily studying the Sacred Scriptures. My hero, Jesus, is a model for me so that I can be of service to others. I can’t physically heal like Jesus, but I can be forgiving, kind and compassionate so others can feel Jesus’ presence.
How about you? How are you developing your relationship with the ultimate coach, Jesus Christ? There are many ministries in which to serve and many opportunities to study and deepen your faith. Join the team with the ultimate coach.
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