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April 4-11, 2007

Golfers prepare for “Amen Corner”

Warm-up Question:

Have you ever witnessed a miracle? What was it?

  

AUGUSTA, GA – The best golfers from around the world are playing in the Masters tournament this weekend at Augusta National Golf Club. The Masters is one of four major golf tournaments on the PGA Tour. Augusta National is one of the oldest and most challenging golf courses in the country. Perhaps the most famous landmark on the course is “Amen Corner,” a sequence of three holes that have given competitors fits on an annual basis.

According to the Master’s Web site, the term Amen Corner was given to holes 11, 12, and 13 in an attempt to describe Arnold Palmer’s miraculous play in the 1958 Masters. Though a highly controversial set of circumstances on these holes led to Palmer capturing the major championship, the name stuck. Holes 11–13 at Augusta National have since been called Amen Corner.

During the week, CBS Sports is allowing Internet users to watch the events at Amen Corner unfold. Due to the challenging nature of these three holes, the outcome of the tournament can rest largely on a player’s ability to stay out of trouble. It is likely that, at some point, a player will fall out of contention or improve his standing among the field depending on what happens in Amen Corner.

 

Discussion Questions

  1. The purse for the 2006 Masters was $7,000,000. How do you feel about athletes getting paid this kind of money to compete in sports for the sake of entertainment?
  2. Are athletes who work on Sunday in line with the “remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy” commandment? Why?
  3. What do you think about giving a religious name to holes on a golf course? Sacrilegious? Not a big deal? Neither?
  4. How do you feel when someone describes an athlete’s performance as miraculous?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, April 8, 2007.
(Text links are to oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:19-26 or Acts 10:34-43
Luke 24:1-12 or John 20:1-18

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection
Hopefully you are familiar with the basic outline of the Easter story. Jesus’ friends go to the tomb where he was laid on Friday, but discover that the tomb is empty. After a few emotional moments, Jesus appears and tells the women to share the news with the other disciples. Luke and John’s gospel accounts differ slightly on the details, mainly concerning who (other than Mary Magdalene) saw the empty tomb. There’s also a matter of whether it was angels (John) or men (Luke) that comforted a distraught Mary. Regardless of which version of the story you prefer, the point is that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.

Among the many miracles performed by Jesus, his resurrection was the most important. The news of Jesus being raised from the dead comes with the promise of eternal life to all who believe. Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes away the sins of the world by dying and rising and ascending into heaven.

We, like the disciples, have different reactions to this news. Some believe it’s just an “idle tale” or an interesting piece of fiction. Others want to believe, but can’t get past some profound questions. Still others who hear this story are overcome with emotions of awe, amazement, and wonder. No matter what our initial response is to the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection, we are called to share this story with those around us. Though the story is familiar to many, tell it with the enthusiasm and joy that the first disciples and women who witnessed the empty tomb told the story to their friends. “Christ has died…Christ is risen…Christ will come again!”

Discussion Questions

  1. What are your earliest childhood memories of Easter? How old were you when you first heard the Easter story? What did you think when you heard it?
  2. Why do you think John and Luke don’t agree on the details of the resurrection story? How do those inconsistencies make you feel?
  3. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being easy and 10 being impossible, how difficult is it to tell people about your faith in God and Jesus? Why is that?
  4. What's your general opinion about miracles? Do you consider Jesus’ resurrection to be a miracle? Why or why not?

Activity Suggestions

Miraculous Mini-Golf

Make your own Amen Corner mini-golf course in your meeting space, outdoors, or in another location. Use a variety of *religious and non-religious materials that are commonly found in your church to construct three (3) mini-golf holes. Use disposable or plastic cups or cans for the holes. Be creative and have fun making your little golf course. Create one hole that presents a difficult miraculous—but not impossible—shot. Consider tying in the three holes with the Christian understanding of the Trinity. Bring a putter and some golf balls to your meeting time and have everyone take turns playing the holes.

*Use good judgment and respect when choosing “religious and non-religious materials.” Some things carry sacred significance in the worship setting.

 

  Closing Prayer
God, thank you for raising Jesus from the dead so that we can have eternal life. Help us to never take for granted the miracle that you did with Jesus, and that you continue to do in each of our lives. Amen
 

Contributed by Erik Ullestad
Des Moines, IA
 

Permission to reproduce for local use. Copyright © 2007 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ELCA Youth Ministries. 1-800-638-3522, ext. 2447. To offer your comments or responses to Faith Lens, e-mail:  rod.boriack@elca.org.

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