Does God Care Who Wins?

The group stage of the World Cup is coming to a close this week. The Holy Father has made it his intention for June that “sports be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that they promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.” As a recovering athlete and someone who enjoys winning far more than he should, the Pope’s words have stirred an old question in my imagination: Does God care about who wins a game?