Last Sunday, with 7 minutes and 12 seconds left in the game, the Denver Broncos had a 0.2% chance of winning a football game against the Giants. Then with 1 minute 14 seconds, they had a 96% likelihood of winning! Til the final seconds, the outcome was uncertain. That game along with last Sunday’s mass readings teach us the importance of fourth quarters and persistence. As we enter the 4th quarter of the year in October, it seems right to reflect on this topic.
Fourth Quarters in Football
The last quarter in football is a strategy session. You play the first three trying to put your team in a good spot, but it’s not over until the clock runs out.
There have been many famous finales in football history from Doug Flutie’s famous Hail Mary to the end of the 2001 Season for the Patriots, when Drew Bledsoe got substituted out after a big hit for Tom Brady leading to Brady’s life changing forever. These stories are common enough, but every week people all over the world watch sports because they are a micro-chasm of life – you don’t know the ending.
Big come-backs are also exciting because they are a demonstration of a respected virtue, perseverance and persistence.
Persistence as a Virtue
Persistence is to continue striving even when things are difficult or uncertain. It requires other virtues to support it: discipline, fortitude, even hope.
Seeing this applied on the field by a team that has a common goal uniting them, is inspiring. Seeing it lived out in real life should be even more inspiring. Whether it is the lives of the Saints or a loved one who passed away after living a good life, it is something we should aspire to.
Persistence in Scripture
On the same day that the Broncos defied the odds through the end of their game, our Sunday mass readings all echoed a thread of persistence. These were the readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2025.
First we had the story of the Israelites in a battle, and as long as Moses could raise his arms up (prefiguring Jesus’ outstretched arms on the cross) God would aid them in their fight.
Next, we have Psalm 121 reminding us that we cannot persist alone.
“Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
From the New Testament, we read St. Paul’s letter to Timothy where he encouraged his disciple:
“Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed…”
and
“proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient”
Parable of the Persistent Widow
Our Gospel reading was Luke 18:1-8, the parable of the Persistent Widow.
“Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.”Luke 18:1
The story Jesus tells us is about a dishonest judge who doesn’t fear God or man, yet is persuaded to give a just ruling to the widow who has been bothering him for a long time.
As in other parables, we are forced to think, “If corrupt men can do good things at times, how much more will God who loves us do?”
October, the Year’s Fourth Quarter
Fall is in full swing and I’m really feeling it this year. Cool and crisp nights have caused us to switch rather abruptly from AC to heat. We have been to the pumpkin patch twice now, coming home with pumpkins both times that each kid wanted to pick out.
Yet, as nice as October can be, we reminded of the end as we brace ourselves for the coming cooler months.
This time of year we reflect on All Hallows (All Saints) and All Souls Day. We pray for the dead. Then we await throughout the dawn of Advent for the coming of Christ at Christmas.
Seasons of Life, our Fourth Quarter Plan
Changing seasons, just like the football fourth quarters, reflect the larger seasons of our life. Unfortunately for us, there is no game clock ticking down. There are no calendar days to cross off. Our 4th quarter is unknown and we could already be in it.
So what is our game plan?
I would take the recommendation of Jesus. Be persistent in prayer.
“Pray always without becoming weary”
and “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed. Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient“
knowing that “Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
and lastly, that we can ask those around us to pray for us and hold our arms up when they feel weak in the fight.
Please pray for me. I will be praying for you.
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