At the above link, we can see an amazing story that brought such a smile to my face when I first read it. Chase Hilgenbrinck, a professional soccer player with the New England Revolution, decided to retire from the game in order to join the seminary and study to become a priest. You can read his story at the link I posted above, but I want to talk a little bit about why I think this story is so truly amazing…even though this man may not play a more prominent sport in America, like baseball or football, and he’s not even a top notch MLS player like David Beckham or Landon Donovan, Chase still made a very difficult and honorable decision in choosing to leave professional soccer behind him as he pursues a vocation as a Catholic Priest. This is possibly the most counter-cultural move that anybody can make. Think about it…our culture teaches that money and fame are two of the most important things in life. Our culture seems to also put professional athletes on a pedestal, making them seem like celebrities, or even superheroes sometimes. Chase Hilgenbrinck decided to leave all that behind because he knows nothing the American Society as a whole can offer us will ever make him as happy as would serving God for the rest of his life. It is a truly honorable and amazing thing that this man did. Saying YES to God is a very, very difficult thing, and needing to say goodbye to a sport you know and love professionally makes it even harder. Congratulations Chase on making this great step in your life. Lets all pray for him!!!
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