Praying for the Cubs? Many fans are down on their knees asking God to be Dusty Baker’s co-pilot through the National League Championship Series (and — dare we hope? — the World Series).
But just how far should a long-suffering Cubs backer go in seeking divine assistance? Is it OK to plead with God to smite the Florida Marlins with a plague of pitching wildness and fielding errors — and maybe gnats, flies, locusts and boils?
Or would that be cheating?
Tempo asked priests, rabbis, historians, theologians and ministers whether we should pray for the Cubs. Here’s what they said:
Rev. Greg Sakowicz, pastor of St. Mary of the Woods Roman Catholic Church, 7033 N. Moselle Ave.:
“My prayer would be that the Cubs players play to the best of their God-given abilities.
“There’s a story of two boxers that I’ve told in sermons before. One makes the sign of the cross before the fight, and the other says to his trainer, `What’s that?’ `It’s a prayer,’ the trainer says. `Will it help him?’ the boxer asks. `It will,’ says the trainer, `if he knows how to fight.’ We can pray all we want, but it’s nice to have Kerry Wood on the mound.”
Rabbi Doug Zelden of Congregation Ezras Israel, 7001 N. California Ave.:
“The Cubs played on Yom Kippur, so no religious Jew was able to watch the game. Here it was, do or die, on the holiest day of the year, and we couldn’t watch! But how could you not think of them? They were on our minds, an integral part of our prayers on the high holidays.
“We didn’t know until the next day, when my wife walked the dog and walked by the newspaper boxes. She came running home to tell me, and our 8-year-old daughter was jumping up and downing in the kitchen, cheering!
“I think that you can’t do more than pray for success. It’s an all-encompassing concept. You pray that you have the ability, the stamina, the brainpower and that your skills are at their best. You’re praying for success; you can’t pray for one thing without the others.
“In closing, I have one word — hatzlacha. It’s the Hebrew/Yiddish word which means `success’ — or in other words, `Go Cubs!'”
Robert E. Lerner, professor of medieval history at Northwestern University:
“People prayed for what we would think of as ridiculous things in the Middle Ages. . . . There was a special prayer in the Middle Ages to ward off plagues of locusts, there were prayers for being healed, some of them were informal or formal blessings of the church.
“They didn’t necessarily have formal prayers but charms — charms for having a good day or making it with your girlfriend. There weren’t team sports, so there wasn’t anything quite like praying for the Cubs. Life was a lot more earnest in the Middle Ages, so they tended to pray for things of the greatest urgency, like peace and the health of the king and for their own well-being.”
Ruth VanDemark, pastor of Wicker Park Lutheran Church, 1502 N. Hoyne Ave.:
“I just don’t think anyone would think that it would be appropriate. . . . It’s just the kind of thing that doesn’t quite rise to the level of prayer. . . . I’ve certainly mentioned it in announcements, that we’re happy it happened and that sort of thing. But it’s just something we wouldn’t pray for. . . . Asking for guidance and help with the president as he restores Iraq to wholeness, one hopes, that kind of thing [is] where there are great moral issues involved. One prays for people to have guidance and help.”
Michael Siegel, senior rabbi, Anshe Emet Synagogue, 3760 N. Pine Grove Ave.:
“Praying for victory is really not something that we would think is in the general sphere of proper prayer. . . .
“What has been especially impressive to me during the course of the playoffs is Dusty Baker’s remarks in regards to faith. What I have heard him say is he has prayed for people in Chicago to broaden their perspectives regarding the prospects of the Chicago Cubs. He’s prayed to God to enable people to let go of the past, embrace the present and look forward in a positive way to the future.”
John Buchanan, co-senior pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, 126 E. Chestnut St.:
More Top Picks Saccadic Dysfunction Explained For Parents
“I think there are at least two levels to this discourse. One is sort of whimsical. We say in whimsy we’re praying for the Cubs or we’re praying for this or that. I think all that means is we’re wishing with all our heart and mind and soul for a Cubs victory. I don’t think theologically it is appropriate, actually, to ask God to intervene on the side of our favorite team. . . . Obviously God is non-partisan when it comes to sports. . . .
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with dealing with it in the context of our faith so long as we don’t get into this business of good and bad and right and wrong and asking God to bless our team with victory over the other. Contrary to what people may think about me, I don’t believe God’s a Cubs fan. Although God does side with the downtrodden.”
Trevor Bechtel, visiting instructor of theology and ethics at Seabury Western Theological Seminary, Evanston:
“As Christians, we are taught to pray for everything, and that shouldn’t ever be construed to exclude the Cubs. The Cubs, certainly in Chicago right now, are an important part of many people’s lives. It seems kind of strange that we would leave that out of our prayer life.”
Erwin Lutzer, senior pastor, Moody Church, 1609 N. LaSalle Drive:
“If God wanted to bring an awful lot of gladness to millions of people here in the Chicagoland area, then indeed he could have the Cubs win. The problem, however, with praying they might win is there also might be many people praying in Florida that the Marlins win. . . . “
Rev. Kevin Collins, assistant vice president for student affairs, DePaul University:
“Real prayer teaches us to pray for our enemies first. Prayer is to be aware, at all times, of the intricate relationship of God, ourselves and the world. That’s why you start by praying for your enemies. You want to transform that into a healthy relationship. I should be able to take joy in [the Marlins’] victory.
“We’re in God’s world. I don’t think God’s back there deciding who wins the game.
“God is making the game possible, rather than pulling the strings. God is there with us through the game. God is with us through the winning and the losing — both sides.”
Sister Diane Kennedy, assistant provost at Dominican University, River Forest:
“This [success of the Cubs so far] is a wonderful lesson for the rest of us: What seems hopeless can be turned around. It’s nice to see the Cubs and the Marlins getting this far.
“It’s a metaphor for life: Those who have less can come out ahead. Of course, the Cubs and Cubs fans know we can have our hearts broken in an instant.
“Implicit in prayer is surrender. We can hope and pray that this wonderful possibility will happen. At the same time, part of what prayer is is lining ourselves up with God’s will.
“Do I pray that the Cubs win? I do. But, ultimately, I pray that God’s will be done.”
Lawrence Cunningham, theology professor, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.:
“To pray for victory in a sporting event strikes me as trivializing an important thing — prayer. I would say pray for the health of the pitchers, and pray, as the New Testament says, `Thy will, and not mine, be done.’
“Teresa of Avila said the most dangerous prayers are the ones God answers. What happens if the Cubbies win and go on to win the World Series? I have this terrible feeling that it would afflict the fans [since they would no longer be lovable losers].
“Maybe our prayer ought to be, `Lord, if the Cubs win, please do not allow that to damage my enthusiasm for them as a fan.”