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St. Christopher and the Sports World
By admin | June 25, 2009
St. Christopher medals are extremely popular in the world of sports. One must wonder why so many athletes and teams wear medals of the saint and pay their homage to him. Perhaps it is because St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. There are few things closer to the heart of the athlete then finding a way to win on the road.
A visiting team in sports faces many kinds of challenges. They have to play on the other team’s turf and in front of the other team’s fans. In many instances they have to travel a long distance and be kept from their families back home. All of this adds up to the home field advantage, and it can be hard for even experienced and dedicated athletes to overcome. That’s why teams work so hard on winning their home games, because they know they have the advantage and there shouldn’t be any excuses for a loss.
Winning a game on the road therefore is no easy challenge. That’s where St. Christopher comes in. Throughout the world St. Christopher medals and medallions are placed on vehicles and are worn by travelers to ensure safe passage. An athlete or a team in the midst of a road trip or in need of some help winning a game on the road can certainly use the assistance of the patron saint of travelers.
It’s a fact that many sports teams and many athletes consistently perform at a higher level on the road than other teams and other athletes. Not everyone seems to be able to naturally make up for the home team advantage however. Having St. Christopher on your side is another way an athlete can try to give himself or herself an edge.
Athletics are as much about mental strength as they are about physical strength or skill, and in many instances mental focus and commitment are even more important than any physical attributes. Simply knowing you have the protection of St. Christopher can help give you and your team more confidence in your abilities to play well on the road.
If you spend hours on the practice field and in the gym training your body, then why shouldn’t you also spend time fortifying your mind? Take advantage of the patron saint of travelers to give yourself a mental edge and a spiritual strength that can translate to on the field success.
Even when you’re playing at home, St. Christopher still comes in handy. After all, you don’t wish for any harm on your visiting opponents, and you want them to play to their fullest capability. There’s no fun or sense of accomplishment in beating an opponent that didn’t try hard or play well. As an athlete, true accomplishment comes when you beat the best at their best, when you are challenged with adversity and still find a way to succeed.
Saints show up in the sports world in many different ways. From the St. Louis Cardinals to the New Orleans Saints, the presence of saints and religion go hand in hand with sports. Having the assistance and guidance of St. Christopher is just another one of the ways that athletes and teams can try to succeed and work on completing their goals, of playing well, winning and emerging unscathed.
Topics: Saints and Angels | 1 Comment »
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September 30th, 2017 at 10:14 pm
Played a little football 4th grade. Had one. Meant something to me. Know a kid starting into sports. I think he should know about it and I wanted to remind myself.