Faith, family, and food seem to be the focus for most of us on the fourth Thursday of November. Some people might add parades, decorations, and volunteering to this list. But in many places, football is as essential to the day as turkey and pumpkin pie. There are many famous national games and college rivalries on this day, but the place where family, tradition, football, and Thanksgiving all come together is at the local level. In many cities and towns, high school competitions draw huge crowds and create lasting memories.
For many families, a good part of their Thanksgiving morning revolves around the local game. If a family member plays on the football team or is in the marching band or cheerleading squad, relatives come to the game and the big meal is pushed back a few hours. The events of the game are recounted over dinner and the final score is announced to every guest, visitor, or distant relative who stops by for dessert. Recent graduates come back to see the game while old-timers, re-living their own high school days, return to make sure that the classic contest continues.
The two Oblate high schools in Philadelphia are a perfect example of the lasting impact of this tradition. North Catholic played nearby Frankford High School every Thanksgiving for 80 years until “North” closed in 2010. Father Judge High School continues to play Abraham Lincoln High School (rivals for over 50 years), and the “Turkey Bowl” seems to be as popular as ever. The Thanksgiving Game is an opportunity to celebrate the goodwill and memories that make a high school and holiday tradition.
The Thanksgiving Game in an Oblate school is an opportunity to practice Salesian Spirituality. While the day begins with Mass for the team and the Direction of Intention on the field, that is not what makes the morning Salesian. The presence of Oblates on the sidelines and school clothing with sayings and symbols of the gentleman saint also does not make the event Salesian. The celebration of these high school rivalries is a chance to begin again, year after year. Even if a team has lost four years in a row, I always admire the way the athletes, coaches, and fans begin the Thanksgiving Game with renewed energy and the desire to give it another try.
This is what makes the game a reminder of Salesian Spirituality. This is what makes each day an opportunity to follow the philosophy of St. Francis. Our patron reminds us that “there is no better way to compete in the spiritual life than to begin it over again.” Living in the present is an important exercise in our spiritual journey which encourages us to concentrate on the gifts or challenges of the moment and accept them as an opportunity to start over. Whether at Mass, a football game, or at the dining room table, take time this day to start a new Thanksgiving tradition… the practice of the present moment, the beauty of beginning again.
Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS
Provincial
Wilmington-Philadelphia Province
