Although I'm not a big boxing or wrestling fan, Mary Kom makes the sport interesting for Indians. Defeating world-renowned North Korean Jang Song Ae in boxing, Mary returned home as a hero.
She faced social resistance and financial constraints from her humble farming background in Manipur, where lots of ethnic and religious violence is going on in India. However, her undying passion for boxing propelled her to greatness. With sheer determination and hard work, she conquered the world. In addition to her Olympic bronze, Mary Kom was a five-time World Champion of the 45-kilogram category.
Mary Kom made a remarkable comeback in boxing after delivering two children. She balanced the responsibilities of motherhood with her passion for the sport. Despite the challenges of physical recovery and time constraints, Mary Kom defied all expectations. She returned to the ring, proving that motherhood does not limit a woman's potential. Mary Kom shattered stereotypes, becoming a role model for aspiring athletes, especially women, across India.
Jacob wrestles until dawn against an unknown man in the first reading from Genesis. I remember how exhausted the wrestlers looked after six minutes. I can't imagine what an all-night match would be like.
Jacob later realized that the unknown man was God. Jacob persevered; he came out victorious in the ordeal. Despite its mystery and greatness, he was not afraid. This merited for him the name Israel.
I don't know how it feels to wrestle with God. Jacob wrestling God one night teaches us much about living a faith-filled life. When Jacob was wrestling with God, he was also wrestling with himself.
He knew that he had done wrong. Jacob had tricked his brother out of his brother's birthright and stolen his brother's blessing. Jacob was a thief. Jacob tricked his father-in-law, too. He kept the strong sheep and gave the weak ones to his father-in-law. His herd grew stronger while his father-in-law’s herd grew weaker. Jacob prospered while his father-in-law’s wealth declined.
Jacob's tribulation became an encounter with the divine. Any meeting with human difficulties can invite us to become greater than ourselves. Mary Kom became famous after fighting the cultural system in India, where she was expected to take a backseat after her marriage and childbearing, but instead returned to the international boxing arena after two pregnancies and childbirth.
Like Mary Kom and Jacob, we, too, wrestle with God and the systems around us as we realize who we are. We wrestle with what God wants us to do; we wrestle with new relationships; we wrestle with ourselves to keep up with a resolution we made. We wrestle, vocationally, to find a job or career. We wrestle with stepping out of our comfort zone — making a new friend or participating in a service project or with political and religious ideologies.
Wrestling with God is not necessarily bad. It is a part of our walk of faith. Wrestling with God is also transformational. Jacob received a limp, but also a new name and a new purpose. We emerge from the match with new insights, a new path to travel, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and our need for God in our lives.
Father Boby John, C.S.C., ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 2008, worked as a pastor and as an educator with tribal populations in Northeast India for thirteen years. Originally from Kerala, India, Father Boby grew up with three siblings. He is a dedicated and detailed educationist with experience in educational leadership. He is currently working as an executive assistant at the world headquarters of Holy Cross Family Ministries, North Easton, Massachusetts.
