If You Build It, Will He Come?



There is still talk of the New York Yankees building a new stadium, one to replace The House That Ruth Built. Of course, it would be only a physical replacement. Certainly it could never duplicate the aura that has enveloped Yankee Stadium through decades of baseball immortals treading its almost sacred turf.

A new stadium would have nicer bathrooms, more spacious seating, more luxurious suites, bigger offices, fancier locker rooms, etc. But could a new Yankee Stadium be as endearing as the current one?

Never. At least not until a few generations have passed.

Wrigley Field is the same way, despite the Cubs' dearth of World Series titles. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has called it “a dump,” and nobody can reasonably disagree with him. Nevertheless, I'm very much looking forward to making my first trip there.

The wife and I will take in a Cardinals-Cubs game April 8, and even though the ivy won't be green yet, I imagine I'll be like a little kid again.

I don't think I could achieve that same sense of wonder at the new Busch Stadium (if I can ever wrangle a ticket). Throwing a new, shinier structure up may seem like a great idea, and sometimes it's necessary (well, maybe), and it can create some temporary excitement among fans. But there is always something missing, something as ineffable as true love.

I believe there is greater communion among the fans and with the game itself in these rickety old cathedrals. Unfortunately, a lot of owners &#0151 and fans &#0151 believe newer is always better. They believe a state-of-the-art stadium can produce wins, or at least attract large enough crowds to justify the team's existence (i.e. the Arizona Cardinals). They believe you've gotta keep up with everyone else. I don't know exactly how many new NFL stadiums have been built in the last 10 years, but I can name quite a few right off the top of my head: Reliant Stadium (Houston), Ford Field (Detroit), Qwest Field (Seattle), Heinz Field (Pittsburgh)… You get the picture.

It basically comes down to people getting caught up in the hype of something different. How often do we see parishes build bigger, more beautiful churches? Nothing inherently wrong with that, but I don't think it should be as high on the priority list as it often is. We worry too often about adding more members, which leads to new buildings, instead of focusing on how we can build up, or if need be restorate, the body of Christ.

Enormous, tastefully decorated church buildings don't impress God too much. It's the aura, if you will &#0151 the vivacity of spirit, of true worship &#0151 that makes Him smile. It's not bricks and comfortable seating that cause the saints to rejoice in heaven, it's the heartwarming sound of God's people expressing adoration for Him, regardless of the venue. We don't have to build a thing for Him to come into our midst.

(This article courtesy of Agape Press.)

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