Two very different events, contests of a sort, are making news today.
On one hand, the FIFA World Cup of Football (or Soccer) continues in South Africa. The defending champions, Italy, and the highly favoured French, have been knocked out of contention, along with the United States. One of today's key matches pits England against Germany. The quote that hangs in the air comes from Bill Shankley, a former Liverpool manager. "Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I can assure them it's much more serious than that."
On the North American continent, leaders of the 20 major industrial countries, the so-called G20, are meeting in Toronto, Canada. Their presence has be marked by large, peaceful protests, but also violent and destructive action by anarchists. In the midst of talk about global banking and economic reform, and the possibility of a second recession, ordinary people on the street are asking, "What about us, and those even less fortunate? What about safe food, clean water, pure air, effective health care — especially for women and children?" Real matters of life and death, or things perhaps "much more serious than that."
Holy God,
Holy and mighty,
Holy, immortal one,
Have mercy upon us.
On one hand, the FIFA World Cup of Football (or Soccer) continues in South Africa. The defending champions, Italy, and the highly favoured French, have been knocked out of contention, along with the United States. One of today's key matches pits England against Germany. The quote that hangs in the air comes from Bill Shankley, a former Liverpool manager. "Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I can assure them it's much more serious than that."
On the North American continent, leaders of the 20 major industrial countries, the so-called G20, are meeting in Toronto, Canada. Their presence has be marked by large, peaceful protests, but also violent and destructive action by anarchists. In the midst of talk about global banking and economic reform, and the possibility of a second recession, ordinary people on the street are asking, "What about us, and those even less fortunate? What about safe food, clean water, pure air, effective health care — especially for women and children?" Real matters of life and death, or things perhaps "much more serious than that."
Holy God,
Holy and mighty,
Holy, immortal one,
Have mercy upon us.
6 comments:
I like the link between the MUNDIAL and the G20 (could pitch in the G8).
Both are, indeed, games, soccer being the less lethal of the two.
® Paul: Soccer is less lethal, and maybe more is accomplished in a game than at the G20.
Well, at least, a soccer game has a clear result even if it's a tie, not so with those international power plays.
® Paul: Sadly, yes. It's like an verbal contract — not worth the paper it isn't written on.
Yet there was a time when someone's word was worth something. Nowadays even written word,especially those vague communiqués, can't be trusted.
® Paul: You're right; can't be trusted.
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