This past Sunday, I went to the 7:30 pm Mass at a nearby church and when the priest invited everyone to “exchange a sign of peace,” something really interesting happened in the pew in front of mine. A man turned and offered the following greeting to another gentleman, “Peace be with you…and good luck tonight.”  The recipient looked startled for a second. Then he grinned and said, “Peace be with you, and thanks.”

Well, I thought to myself, that has to be one of the most interesting liturgical moments I have ever witnessed. Then, when the second man turned to me with his hand out, all became clear. He was wearing a Boston Celtics shirt.  His team would play (and beat) the L.A. Lakers later in the evening.

Now this wasn’t exactly correct liturgical practice but it did show that at least one person in the church wasn’t offering the sign of peace on autopilot. He genuinely was connecting with the other person, even a person who supported a Boston sports team!  Of course, the Feast of Corpus Christi could not have been a better day to do it. We received the body of Christ sacramentally and we are the body of Christ as church. Peace to us all.

That was the second time in the past few days that sports connected to faith for me. The other was the blown call on the part of umpire Jim Joyce that cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game.  Many people are calling on Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to reverse the call, given that Joyce admitted his mistake and apologized. They want Galarrago to have his well-earned place in baseball history.

We Catholics, with our Sacrament of Penance, can draw a line from Joyce’s heartfelt confession and apology  to Galarraga’s very gracious acceptance of the same. However, we might ask if there isn’t also an obligation to restore what was taken; to make some sort of satisfaction, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us in article 1459. I suspect that if Joyce could have his way, Galarraga’s name would be in the record books. So what’s with Bud Selig? Why won’t he do it? He has the power to make restitution.

Well, perhaps it’s because the commissioner fears what happens when someone tries to modernize the rules. I can understand that. I don’t want the game stopped play after play, while everyone studies the video.  On the other hand, a real injustice can be done when a when people resist change. Any rule made by humans should be looked to make sure that it really is promoting justice. If it isn’t, it needs to be amended or abolished.

Here’s my suggestion to Commissioner Selig. Officially recognize Galarrago’s perfect game. And from now, use instant replay BUT ONLY when there is serious evidence that the umpire has made a bad call and his fellow umpires are in agreement on this. This is not going to impact negatively on the umpire who has made an erroneous call. He might not have had a clear view of the play. This is not going to destroy baseball, as we know it. And it will promote justice.

Sometimes, saying you’re sorry is just not enough.

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