大象传媒

Good morning. When 鈥楳atch of the Day鈥� first appeared on our screens on this day in 1964, the very first game to be shown was the season opener between Liverpool against Arsenal.

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Half a century later, despite the widespread coverage provided by an array of similar programmes, 鈥楳atch of the Day鈥� has become essential viewing for many football fans, providing a reference point of highlights, analysis and comment on the latest matches and their key moments,

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It can be hard to get away from the razzamatazz of the multi-million pound industry that鈥檚 built up around what the aficionados call 鈥榯he beautiful game鈥�; and there are plenty of people, including many fans, who say that the eye-watering amounts of money paid in transfer fees and salaries have changed the face of football for ever.

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Yet, if you strip away the packaging, football is a simple game of skill and athleticism that stirs a passion in supporters and evokes commitment to a team that can be lifelong, and even passed down through generations.

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This idea of dedication through thick and thin, speaks powerfully to me not just because I鈥檝e followed my own team through promotion and relegation in the last couple of seasons, but because I see this as a powerful metaphor for life and faith.

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I鈥檓 reminded of some words of Jesus when he said 鈥淏y their fruits you shall know them鈥�, in reference to people of his time, whose whole outlook on life was self-obsessed and self-serving and who, when push came to shove, were found wanting.

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And while that same fickleness in our lives can be an easy way out at the first sign of trouble, the greatest satisfaction can sometimes be from situations where we鈥檝e been there through the difficult times, with family, friends, colleagues or neighbours.听

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So Lord, keep us faithful and give us courage and perseverance in everything that comes our way today, so that both you and others might know us by the fruit that we bear.听 Amen.