3rd Grade Dads
Friday, December 6, 2024
A Treasury of Catechism Stories
By Fr. Lawrence G. Lovasik
#180 The Blind Spectator
Before Lou Little became head coach at Columbia university, he occupied a similar post at Georgetown. One year there was a Youngster on the squad who was not a great football player, but whose personality inspired the whole team. Lou liked the proud way the youth walked arm in arm around the campus with his father.
About a week before the last game with Fordham, the boy's mother phoned coach Little. “My husband died this morning,” she said. “Will you break the news to my boy? He will take it better from you. When the boy came back from the funeral three days later he said to the coach, “I want to ask something of you that means an awful lot to me. I want to play in that game against Fordham. I think that is what Dad would have liked most.”
Little hesitated and then agreed. “O.K. You will start, but you will only be in there for one or two plays. You aren’t quite good enough and you know it.”
Little started the boy, but never took him out. For 60 jarring minutes he played inspired football, running, blocking, passing like an All-American, and sparking the team to victory. Back in the clubhouse Little threw his arms around the boy. “Son, you were terrific today. You never played that kind of ball before. What got into you?”
“Remember how my father and I used to go around the campus together? There was something about him very few people knew. He didn’t want them to know. My father was totally blind. This afternoon was the first time he ever really saw me play.”
Henry Peterson was that boy and that day he ran for 240 yards and three touchdowns and helped Georgetown win the conference championship.
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Let us pray,
Dear heavenly Father. I thank You for the gift of {say your current or former spouse's name here}, the mother of my child(ren). For each child You have blessed me with {Name each child here}. For the trust You have placed in me to raise my child(ren) in the faith. Strengthen me this Advent Season to seek Your most holy will. May I experience the merciful love of Your Son and my Savior Jesus Christ today, and I beg You to send me the Holy Spirit so that I may become the saint You have called me to be.