Good afternoon. Our first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is the Rev Giles Dove, who is chaplain and head of divinity and religious studies at Glenalmond College, Perth.
Presiding Officer and members of the Scottish Parliament, the Bible encourages us to
“run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith”.
Well, for you and for me, the race is nearly over for another year as we stagger towards the end of another term.
Whether it is Euro 2016 or Wimbledon, rugby union or the athletics Olympics trials, this is a great time of year for those of us who enjoy sport, and that is before you start to consider the tour de France, the grand prix or the open golf at Troon once we all move into summer recess.
In broad terms, a school’s educational aim is to equip its young people to live a good life. That is to say: a life that is worth living; a life that is satisfying and that takes a critical interest in what is going on in the world. How does the concept of the good life relate to sport?
The human qualities that underlie sporting activities are similar to those that underlie spiritual activities. Qualities such as discipline, dedication, enthusiasm and perseverance are evident in participation in sport. They are the same qualities that will get you and me out of bed at dawn to pray or meditate, or enable us to protect 15 minutes a day for reflective study or reading a book of spiritual wisdom.
Football and tennis can be disciplines of the spiritual life, too, in as much as they help provide character and personality—qualities that also lend themselves to the spiritual life. Through climbing and skiing, we can learn how to deal with and overcome fear and anxiety. Running, swimming or cycling long distances develops endurance and willpower and the ability to deal with boredom. Through golf and shooting, one can practise intense concentration and subtle control. Team sports can, of course, teach us the value of co-operation.
Discipline, freely chosen and fully experienced, is essential if we are to do anything well, including playing a sport. Prayer and meditation can be such a discipline, but so can running; both prevent the world from filling our lives to such an extent that there is no place left to listen.
May God guide you during the forthcoming recess to exercise the discipline required to restore some balance to your life, thereby equipping you to equip the people you serve to lead a good life. [Applause.]
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