I guess there is a big sporting match tomorrow.  And according to the news one of the players will be missing it because it falls on the Lord’s Day.

No, not that big game.  Heck, if any of those players didn’t play on Sunday they would never collect a pay check.  But I digress…

A major news item this week in Scotland is that Euan Murray, the tighthead prop on the Scottish National Rugby team, will not play in their opening match tomorrow in the Six Nations Championship.

The interview in The Guardian is a worthwhile read and really conveys Mr. Murray’s sense of the importance of this and his frustration with having to explain himself one more time.  And it is also worth sharing that he does not participate in any non-religious activities on Sunday, including watching the game and giving interviews.

Some excerpts from the interview:

Tired of explaining himself, he recently informed his club that he would no longer discuss the decision, and so as we approach the subject Murray sighs. He rearranges his feet on the coffee table in front of him, and sinks deeper into his coat, visibly retreating. “What do you want me to say about it? I don’t think I need to say much about it. It’s a decision, a difficult decision I had to make. And I’m happy with my decision.”

…

Does he sometimes wonder if he’s made the right decision? There is a very long pause. “I believe that biblically I’ve made the right decision.” And emotionally? Murray blows out his cheeks. “Well, when you really become a Christian, life’s a battle. You’re going against the tide. The crowd are going one way and you’re going another. It’s always going to be a battle to be different. The easy thing is to go along with the crowd, everybody’s doing it. You know? Try going the opposite direction to a crowd. It’s hard. You won’t get very far.”

…

And so, when his team-mates run out against France on Sunday, what will he be doing? “I’ll do the same thing I do every Sunday,” he says. “Relax, rest, and enjoy the day. I won’t watch the game. It’s a day where I can enjoy the Lord.” Will it be hard to not think about rugby? He laughs. “Yeah! I’ll pray for the team. We’ll see what happens. It’s challenging. But ultimately rugby’s not what fuels my happiness in life.”

He stops, and then smiles. “I just wish that games of rugby weren’t played on Sundays. Christ doesn’t want them to be played on Sundays.”

…

…now at Northampton he seems to have found his spiritual home, in more senses than one. “Have you ever been here for a match?” he asks, before embarking on a breathlessly excited description of matchday at Franklin’s Gardens. “These supporters have such respect for the game. Either team could be kicking and there is dead silence – you can hear a pin drop. If somebody shouts out to distract the kicker he gets told to shut up. You can hear them going, ‘Shh! Shut up!’ There’s nowhere else that happens. They’ve got manners, you know? It’s amazing.”

…

But at the first hurdle his side will be without him. Does that not conflict with the team ethos of the sport? Murray is philosophical. “You bring your individual assets to benefit the team,” he says, “and hopefully you’ll get synergy when you put all these different components together. I’m a Christian, I try to be hard working, honest and fair. That’s what I bring to the team.”

And there is an interesting symbolism, in a couple of ways, about his club team’s nickname being… wait for it… The Saints.

My compliments to Anna Kessel for the interview, the depth it brought to Euan’s faith and life, and for letting Euan tell the story.  For another take on Euan’s decision, particularly the support from those around him, check out the article in the Independent.

So best wishes to Euan Murray tomorrow and the best of luck to Scotland in their match against France without him on the pitch.

OK, back to that other game of American Football tomorrow.  First, my friend David Gambrell (and probably a bunch of others) beat me to the punch about all us Calvinists knowing that New Orleans will win tomorrow because of, yes you guessed it, the “perseverance of the saints.”  But all you Indianapolis fans don’t worry because David also has a confessional reference that the Colts could win it.

Second, you have to admire Darryl Hart’s Sixteen reasons not to watch the game.

So tomorrow…