The Power of Prayer

I was talking to our Athletic Director recently and he described some of the events of the past week as "surreal." In one sense he was correct, but in another it was a week that --as always-included the humorous, the happy, the generous, and the sombering. When you are surrounded with many students each day, each with their own ups and downs, there is always the possibility of drama both real and created! Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, serving as a "home away from home" to more than six hundred students is just like that.
Last weekend we celebrated Homecoming at our school, a weekend full of pep rallies and athletic games which generate both school spirit and excitement. Last Friday began with an out of uniform day and all the students could wear school colors or their school sports jersey. At the pep rallies, one for the Lower School (k-5) and one for the Upper School (6-12) there was a sea of blue and gold and LOTS of noise! Cheerleaders led a competition yelling match , grade against grade. This long standing tradition is great fun and it allows kids to really get into the excitement of the day as they chant at the top of their lungs, "Spirit, spirit, we got spirit! How about you!" In addition to the shouting, all the members of the sports teams are introduced and there are some fun games with volunteers from each class. Both of the pep rallies were great events and the little ones especially were quite impressed by the chance to cheer for their older classmates. Being a Cougar fan starts at a young age and lasts forever!
That evening included a "dress up" dance for the high school age students which was sponsored by the Student Government. Seeing the girls with their new outfits, fancy hair and high heeled shoes and the guys with shirts, ties, and adult attitudes gave a glimpse of the young adults they are and the grown-ups they will become. They had a great time with dance competitions, great food (graciously prepared by several of our dedicated teachers--nothing is too much for the kids!) and lots of time with friends. Perhaps the most impressive part of the night for me, was the willingness of all the student leaders to set up the dance, clean up the debris at the end, and cheerfully cooperate with one another so that everyone including the teachers could look back at the evening and smile. This was a great example of leadership in the making. Big jobs, little jobs, glamorous jobs and not so glamourous jobs were all done with enthusiasm and good spirit.
Though the weather interfered with game plans, volleyball and men's and women's soccer games were all finally played between the raindrops during the next day. Though scores were mixed each team fought hard, played with spirit and good sportsmanship, and had fun.
Our football team played on Saturday evening and this is when the real drama began. As the first quarter started, our team showed some gusto and skill and played well. Since this is only our second season, folks were pleased that the Homecoming game had the possibilty of a winning outcome. But, in the second quarter, a sombering event happened and everyone was snapped into a different reality. Our quaterback, Kory Puller, was hit and at the end of the play did not get up. Josh Lamont, our Athletic Trainer, was quick to respond and verified that the injury was serious. Time passed and paramedics and eventually the Shock Trauma helicopter arrived. Kory was flown out and the prayers began.
The bottom line is that,after a very frightening several days and many assesments, Kory is recovereing and the great hope is that he will be 100% before too long. The secondary, but also important lesson in this story, revolves around the way that the community responded to the scare. After Kory left the game, the team, though certainly shaken and worried, decided to finish the game. They finished it by playing hard but not getting any fouls called and playing with skill and sportsmanship. They should be proud of themselves for stepping it up and I hope they know that I am proud of their ability to contain any negative reactions and channel their energy into good, fair, clean play.
The other students and teachers spent the weekend texting news about Kory and praying for him. A petition was prayed for him at every Mass that weekend at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. Every student in every class prayed for his recovery throughout the next week. Cards were made and signed and sent. Kory was on our mind and in our heart. He did get out of the hospital and late in the week, I got word that he was in the gym. Of course I went down to see him but was caught up short. There he was still dealing with the headaches caused by his concussion, in a neck brace, a back brace, and in a wheel chair. The sight of this young, basically healthy, happy athlete, so compromised did more than give me pause.
These are my thoughts--How great in a Catholic school and community is it that we could all support Kory through our prayers? How powerful are those prayers as they carry our hopes and dreams to a God who makes all things possible! How grateful are we that this great young man is on the mend! How wonderful is it to see him, despite his obvious pain and discomfort, cheering for his classmates! Being a Cougar is more than playing games and cheering at pep rallies. It is being part of a community where people truly care about each other and love each other especially when things are tough. It is a faith community where we all believe in the power of prayer.
Now that the worst of that frightening event is over,we all should add a petition of thanksgiving to our prayers. We thank God for Kory's recovery and for our community. We should never take health, friendship, nor faith for granted nor forget our vulnerability. Our prayer should always include, "Thank you God!!!"