Students from our MSC school, Princethorpe College in Warwickshire who formed the Olympic Rings as part of their charity fundraising efforts.
We are hearing a lot about the Olympics these days as London prepares to host the 2012 Games. But it would be a pity if we only focused on the fastest, strongest, best and brightest who will bring home gold! There is much more to it than that. On school Sports Day one of our teachers would say, “It’s not the winning; it’s the taking part that is important!” We had no answer to that!!
205 Nations will take part in 26 Olympic sports
Maybe the theme of the Para-Olympics can help us a bit more than what the teacher said. The theme is “Spirit in Motion.” Have a think about that for a moment!! If we are open, God’s Spirit can be seen, heard, felt, experienced and known in huge events like the Olympics but also in the smallest events and encounters of every day. In the Olympic Games, God’s Spirit will be alive and active in the gathering together of so many people, the internationality, the cooperation, the welcome and hospitality shown to all the visitors, the great variety of activities and sports that the human body, mind and spirit can achieve, friendships that will be forged and hearts that will be lifted.
God's Spirit will be alive and active there too if we honour justice and challenge others with the Kingdom values in mind
Sure there will be downsides to it all: the traffic, the politics, the rows over what will be done with buildings and stadiums afterwards; but God’s Spirit will be alive and active there too if we honour justice and challenge others with the Kingdom values in mind. Wherever we stand on what the Olympics can do, let’s be clear on what God’s spirit can do. May we be open to that Spirit who lives and breathes, who works and flows in and through us every day.