Here we present a selection of prayers originated in and for the world of sport. They bear witness to the profound inner life of those who face the daily challenge of exceeding their own limits.
Sportsman prayer
I engage in sports, Lord.
I offer you the effort of my training,
the joy and anxiety of my competitions.
Help me to prepare with perseverance,
to play with integrity,
to win with dignity
and to know how to lose with serenity.
And may I, made stronger, make my spirit
more agile in your service, Lord,
and bring joy to those who live beside me,
each day.
Sportsman prayer - John Paul II
Lord Jesus Christ,
help these athletes to be Your friends and witnesses of Your love.
Assist them in dedicating to pastoral asceticism
the same commitment they put into sports.
Help them to realize a harmonious and coherent
unity of body and soul.
May they be, for those who admire them,
worthy models to imitate.
Help them to always be athletes in spirit,
to attain Your priceless reward:
a crown that never fades and lasts forever.
Amen
(John Paul II, Jubilee of Athletes, October 29, 2000)
Athlete's prayer
Lord, be for me
a coach, a leader, a doctor,
a teacher of life.
Lord, be for me a teammate,
a referee, a friend.
Because You are the Lord.
You understand me and value me.
To You, I entrust my life.
Help me, today and always.
Sportsman prayer
Lord!
It is wonderful for me
to run with my friends,
in joy and in effort,
in victory and in defeat.
There, on the field,
I give my all
because for me
playing is a bit like living
and living is a bit like playing.
And if I think of my life
as that playing field,
then, Lord,
help me to live it
with the same enthusiasm,
with the same commitment,
with the same desire to win
and to become great.
You be my guide
and my teacher.
Teach me to play my game,
show me my role on the field,
encourage me to fight
and always give my best.
And when I am tempted to give up
and no longer fight,
I pray You to leave the bench
and enter the field with me!
With You beside me,
I begin to play again.
Sportsman prayer
Thank you, Lord, for the body
with which we can move,
play, and celebrate.
Thank you for health and peace
that allow us to savor life
with joy and enthusiasm.
Thank you for the free time
we spend having fun
in the company of friends.
Thank you for the people and spaces
that enable us to play sports,
train, and compete.
Thank you for the victories and defeats
that reveal the path of life
and help us grow "within."
Thank you because after the game
we can face our daily commitments
with more peace.
Thank you for what we learn
from sports discipline
and from champions on the field and in life.
Thank you for Sunday,
a day of rest and prayer,
of fraternity with all.
Thank you because You, Lord,
are our coach and teacher
and remain with us every day.
(Luigi Guglielmoni)
Thank you, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the body
with which we can move, play, and celebrate.
Thank you for health and peace
that allow us to savor life
with joy and enthusiasm.
Thank you for the free time
we spend having fun
in the company of friends.
Thank you for the people and spaces
that enable us to play sports,
train, and compete.
Thank you for the victories and defeats
that reveal the path of life
and help us to mature.
Thank you for what we learn
from sports discipline
and from champions on the field and in life.
Thank you for Sunday,
a day of rest and prayer,
of fraternity and supportive service.
Thank you, Lord, grant us your glory
and remain with us every day.
Amen.
Sportsman prayer
Lord, help me to be a true athlete.
To win and remain humble.
To lose and keep a smile.
To maintain my dignity on the field.
To accept all the referee's decisions, whether right or wrong, regular or irregular.
To know how to win without dominating.
To be strong without being brutal.
To play rather than clash.
To think of the team rather than myself.
To ignore the crowd and understand the referee.
To appreciate good play without distinction of team.
To rejoice with my opponent.
To extend my hand when I am defeated, recognizing his skill.
With You, Lord, I will be able to conquer myself and be happy for the victories of others!
Prayer written by Kirk Kilgour, sports champion, wheelchair-bound because of a serious injury.
I asked God to be strong to accomplish great things;
He made me weak so I could remain humble.
I asked God for health to achieve great feats;
He gave me pain to understand it better.
I asked Him for wealth to own everything;
He made me poor so I would not be selfish.
I asked Him for power because people needed me;
He gave me humiliation so that I would need them.
I asked God for everything to enjoy life;
He left me life so that I could appreciate everything.
Lord, I received none of what I asked for,
but You gave me everything I needed, almost against my will.
The prayers I did not make were answered.
Be praised; O my Lord, among all men, no one possesses what I have.
(Kirk Kilgou)
Sportsman prayer
I thank You, O Lord, for making me walk.
I thank You for allowing me to run, cycle, and engage in sports.
I also thank You for the pains and sufferings of my existence,
which fade away with the joy of movement
as I go through the woods, along a river, on the peak of a mountain,
alone or in company,
on sunlit paths or those swept by rain or wind.
I feel You, Lord, as my steps rhythmically part the morning mist
and the "run" unfolds serenely in the muted silences,
and my thoughts are purified and reach You.
I feel You, O Lord, even in moments of fatigue or suffering,
when sweat blurs my vision,
and weariness makes my legs buckle and I wish to stop.
This walking of mine, done with humility and exaltation,
is like a prayer.
It is this going that becomes prayer,
to praise You and thank You, O Lord.
Sportsman prayer
From a young age, O God, I have lived in the world of sports. I have participated in many competitions, winning many awards. I have always believed in the values of sport and fair competition, rejecting any form of compromise and any substitute for willpower. Some use prohibited substances to achieve spectacular results, bringing discredit to the world of sports. The mass media have made us more famous than we deserve. Young people, in particular, see us as role models, for better or for worse.
I do not wish to lead anyone astray, O God, by my bad example. Help me to put an end to animosity and excessive competitiveness both on and off the field. May I not get carried away when I succeed, and may I not despair when things go wrong and the newspapers criticize me. Alleviate the worries of my family when I am competing, and protect me from any disabling accidents, and above all, help me not to harm my opponents.
Finally, I ask You to be with me in the most important competition of life, so that I may win the prize reserved for those who act with selflessness and honesty. Thank You for listening to me. Amen.