More or Less, Less is More

“So likewise every one of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth, cannot be my disciple.”

-Luke 14:33 (Douay-Rheims)

I just got back from St. Lucia where 27 of us hosted a soccer camp. It was wild. The trip inspired a few thoughts. Here they are:

How much are you worth? Think about it for a minute, then check again; for what are basing your worth upon: financial security, trophy case size, scholarship amount, education level, victory total, or something worthwhile?

The world we live in is one with a material reward system-do well, get stuff; do better, get praise and get better stuff; do poorly, then a warm glass of milk, a pat on the head, and a “try better next time” usually accompanies. Our society is focused on winners-those of efficient, goal-oriented, victory-pursuing manner. Rarely does our world value the context of giving things away, foregoing ourselves in order to fully serve another, or setting aside preconceived notions to accept reality.

I recently witnessed 27 young men and women sacrifice their pride, preconceptions, and pursuit of self-worth in order to rest at the hands of the poor, needy, uneducated, and surprisingly-fully joyful. 27 student-athletes (current or former) teamed up with Varsity Catholic and embarked upon a journey to the little island of Saint Lucia to give of themselves, their talents, and their time-investing in the youth of the island, and one another-through the universal language of sport. We lost things, were late to several places, and frankly-were out of our element; yet all 27 of us left St. Lucia more complete, worthwhile, and peaceful than when we got there. Day by day, God revealed his unending faithfulness, in our new perspectives of His love.

St. Paul illustrates the reality of freedom as selfless love-giving through love. Freedom takes sacrifice; an ardor of service for the wellbeing of another. Our mission team visited schools, held a four day soccer camp, shared testimonies, spent time with locals, attended beautiful Masses, performed manual labor, and ultimately put ourselves aside to live out the Great Commission. We came to serve, and many were never as free their whole lives’ as we were on that island, experiencing our Lord moment by moment-faithful. Every person we met in St. Lucia illuminated the freedom that we are called to have with Christ; a freedom that comes in renouncing every unnatural basis of our worth, to follow the One who is love, alone-perfect and true.