Article February 4, 2002 Issue

Then and now: a focus beyond gold medals

By Elizabeth Beall

THE STAGE HAS BEEN SET IN MY HOMETOWN for the Olympics that runs from February 8-24. Park City, Utah, will host over 40 percent of the Alpine events. Organizers hustle to complete sound systems, build spectator stands, and scrutinize security efforts. Preparation is the activity of the day, which causes me to ask myself a question: What can I do to make sure the upcoming Olympics is successful? The answer: pray.

Prayer during the Olympic Games is not a new concept. Historically, when the Olympic Games in Greece began in 776 B.C., they were more than athletic contests. At the time, people worshiped Zeus as the supreme god, and the Games were held in his honor. People came to worship Zeus by offering small statues of pottery or bronze. Competitors and spectators enjoyed the Games held in his honor. Thus, Zeus was the central focus of the Games.

Today, Zeus is recognized as mythological, and the understanding that God is the one Spirit is nearly universal. But even in ancient times, St. Paul spoke to the Greeks about their misunderstanding of the nature of God. He stood in front of the council in Athens and said: "People of Athens, I see that you are very religious. As I was going through your city and looking at the things you worship, I found an altar with the words, 'To an Unknown God.' You worship this God, but you don't really know him. So I want to tell you about him. This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands" (Acts 17:22-24).

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