THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 2016 HEBREWS 11:29-12:2 So, this morning I'm feeling pretty patriotic thanks to the performance of Team GB at the Olympics. You see, they are top of the medals table. No, not that medals table – the one that records, you know, medals, I mean the humility medals table, the near-miss medals table, the 'it's not the winning, it's the taking part' medals table. I'm talking about the table that records the number of fourth place finishes a nation achieves. This is really a thing, and the BBC actually features it on its website. How typically and infuriatingly British. And how typical and infuriating of Britain's public broadcasting service to actually keep a record of it. Compete hard, do well, allow people to think you are actually pretty good at your chosen sport, but don't do anything quite so vulgar as winning a medal. Coming first is so impolite. Such poor etiquette. So, well, American. (You know I'm being ironic, don't you? This is actually envy talking.) I mean, the last thing you want is to be accused of being a show-off, like that show-off Usain Bolt or that even bigger show-off Michael Phelps. How much more honorable and in-keeping with the Olympic spirit would it be if he had 22 fourth place finishes instead of 22 golds? That feat would surely send the British Swimming Association to Ancestry.com to pour over Phelps's genealogy to see if he somehow qualifies for Team GB. "Phelps, hmmm, sounds English." It might even get him a knighthood. My gold medal moment of Week 1 is the performance of American road cyclist Mara Abbott, who led the 137 km race for what seemed like hours, and with just 500 meters to go was caught and then passed by three other riders; but she still beamed her way through an interview. That's the spirit. That's what it's all about. Abbott. She must be English. Somebody make that woman a duchess. By the way, Usain Bolt is proof that there is a God. Think about it. The fastest human on the planet is called Bolt - it can't be just a coincidence.

If you like the Olympics you'll love the way of... (Read the full sermon here: Sermon - 08-14-2016 - Fourth Place Medal )