Read a Nittany Lions Excerpt
Read 1 Kings 10:1-10, 18-29.
“King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon” (vv. 23-24).
The quarterback who threw him the ball is more famous, but it is a photograph of receiver Gregg Garrity that “occupies a prominent spot in the homes of thousands of Penn State fans around the world.”
That’s because Garrity made what in Penn State lore would become known simply as “The Catch.” His leaping dive into the end zone to grab a 47-yard pass from Todd Blackledge clinched the 27-23 win over Georgia in the 1983 Sugar Bowl that propelled the Nittany Lions to their first national championship. A photograph of his exuberant celebration in the end zone graced the cover of Sports Illustrated and is still today probably the most widely reproduced snapshot in Penn State history.
The Lions led 20-17 two minutes into the fourth quarter with a first and ten at the Georgia 47. Joe Paterno sent out a play that had worked several times during the season. It featured four guys as receivers. Garrity recalled, “We had all seams covered, and someone should be open.” Interestingly, all season the throw on the play had not come to Garrity, but this time he was the one who was open. “I threw the ball as far as I could,” Blackledge said later. Garrity stretched and pulled the ball into his chest as he hit the artificial turf. He jumped to his feet “with both arms raised above his head with the ball in his right hand.” He had just made “the biggest reception in Penn State history.” Photographers snapped away, capturing the moment and making Gregg Garrity famous.
Have you ever wanted to be famous? Hanging out with other rich and famous people, having folks with microphones listen to what you say, throwing money around like toilet paper, meeting adoring and clamoring fans, signing autographs, and posing for the paparazzi before you climb into your imported sports car?
Many of us yearn to be famous, well-known in the places and by the people that we believe matter. That’s all fame amounts to: strangers knowing your name and your face. The truth is that you are already famous where it really does matter, which excludes TV’s talking heads, screaming teenagers, moviegoers, or D.C. power brokers. You are famous because Almighty God knows your name, your face, and everything about you. If a persistent photographer snapped you pondering this fame – the only kind that has eternal significance – would the picture show the world unbridled joy or the shell-shocked expression of a mug shot?
When you play a sport, you have two things in mind. One is to get into the Hall of Fame and the other is to go to heaven when you die. – Lee Trevino
You’re already famous because God knows your name and your face, which may be either reassuring or terrifying.
