Well, with this last loss KU has surpassed all other teams in early exits as a #1 seed. In case you are wondering, yes, all the success of the regular season is worth these heartbreaking losses. If you would ask any KU fan if they would rather win the Big XII or make the final four, almost all fans would tell you they would rather make the Final Four. Yet it is not an either . . . .or proposition. You are remembered for what you do in the NCAA tournament, and KU has had some crushing losses, but thanks be to God we have had some miraculous wins as well. We are either hot or cold in the NCAA tournament, but we are always hot in the Big XII, and that is something we must continue to celebrate. Yes, our Big XII dominance leads to big expectations in the NCAA tourney, and God willing, we won't choke any more in the future, but at least we have our Big XII success to fall back on. Most teams don't have anything like that. Plus, we have Danny and the miracles, and Mario's miracle too! Remember the good times, and thank God you're a Jayhawk fan, because it's great to be one!
It is true that from time to time I wonder whether to preach about people being as passionate about their faith as they are about the Jayhawks. Our Catholic liturgies are incredible, and very prayerful, and quite beautiful, but you do wonder sometimes how they compare to liturgy and energy of Allen Fieldhouse. Granted, we are not comparing apples to apples here. Yet you wonder at least for a moment about comparing the two, about which is closer to heaven, our Catholic liturgy or Allen Field House. But I'm setting up a false dichotomy. Just as Allen Fieldhouse can't compare to the beauty of the family of God preparing together to receive Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, so the Catholic liturgy does not as consistently create the exterior frenzy as the pregame video or a dunk at the fieldhouse.
My hope, of course, is for people to be as excited, although in a different way, about their faith as they are about KU basketball. It is not an either . . . . or thing. I am committed to staying passionate about both, with the promise of only loving KU basketball in the way God Himself does. Although KU basketball borders on idolatry, I think most people can still tell the difference as to what we should properly worship. I think our passion for KU basketball, though, does give us an important window into how we should care about our faith. Especially in our reception of the Blessed Sacrament as Catholics, does receiving the Lord create that interior frenzy that sets our hearts on fire interiorly to love and serve as Christ Himself does. Are there times when we get lost in the moment, and lose an awareness of self, because of our love for God and His unspeakable love for us His children? When we miss the chance to be with Christ and to receive Him, are we as disappointed as we are when KU loses? It is a good litmus test, and to where our heart truly lies.
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