Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21
Howie Morenz loved to play hockey. It doesn't feel unfair to say that he lived to play hockey. He was one of the NHL's first superstars, and with three Hart Trophy wins (1928, 1931, and 1932), he was arguably the best player in the world from the late 20s through the early 30s. He led the NHL in goals, assists, and points in the 1927-28 season, and in points again in the 1930-31 season. Yes, Howie Morenz loved to play hockey, and he played it very well.
Morenz spent his glory years with the Montreal Canadiens, and loved playing in Montreal so much that he once said, speaking of the Canadiens, "When I can't play for them, I'll never put on a skate again." In reality, everyone knew that wasn't true, because Howie Morenz's love for hockey would overwhelm that sentiment if he were ever to be traded.
Such a trade came in 1934, when he, goaltender Lorne Chabot and defenseman Marty Burke were traded to the Chicago Black Hawks for Leroy Goldsworthy, Lionel Conacher, and Roger Jenkins. Unsurprisingly, Morenz did put on skates for Chicago and spent a season and a half there before being traded again, this time to the New York Rangers for Glen Brydson.
Morenz's stay in New York would be brief. In 1936, the Canadiens brought back their former head coach, Cecil Hart. One of Hart's conditions for returning to coach the team was that Morenz be brought back, which the team did. Morenz's return to his beloved Canadiens seemed to jump start his play, as his stats were noticeably improved from the previous season, but he wouldn't make it through the end of the campaign.
On January 28, 1937, in a game against the Black Hawks, Morenz was checked by Earl Seibert, while rushing into the offensive zone. His left skate was caught in the ice as he went down, leading to a severe leg injury in which his leg was broken in four places. He spent weeks in the hopsital, and convinced the injury had ended his career, he slipped into a depression and suffered a nervous breakdown.
On March 8, Morenz complained of chest pains, and his wife Mary and Hart were summoned to the hospital. Before they arrived, he got out of bed to go to the washroom, and collapsed and died, minutes before their arrival.
The official cause of his death was a coronary embolism, but fellow Canadien Aurel Joliat offered another very likely suggestion. "Howie loved to play hockey more than anyone ever loved anything, and when he realized he would never play again, he couldn't live with it. I think Howie died of a broken heart."
What do you live for? If every worldly possession and talent you had were taken away from you, would you have any reason to continue in life? If you live for the world, the answer is no. The fact of the matter is, that one day, whether through loss or death, all of it will one day be gone. This world is temporary, and the things it offers can't last.
There is nothing wrong with having hobbies and interests, but life is meaningless if it's lived only for this world and what it can offer. Most people live such a sad, meaningless life. They fail to keep the things of this world in their proper place. Those who don't know Jesus Christ are doomed to a life like that as long as they don't know Him. Christians aren't destined to such an existence, but sadly, many choose to live life like that.
If our lives are to have any meaning whatsoever, we must live for the Saviour and for Heaven. Deeds done with God as the focus will last for all eternity. They can't burn up, they can't decay, and they can't be stolen. If our treasures are in Heaven, we have something to live for even if everything in the world were taken away from us.
Howie Morenz loved to play hockey. It doesn't feel unfair to say that he lived to play hockey. He was one of the NHL's first superstars, and with three Hart Trophy wins (1928, 1931, and 1932), he was arguably the best player in the world from the late 20s through the early 30s. He led the NHL in goals, assists, and points in the 1927-28 season, and in points again in the 1930-31 season. Yes, Howie Morenz loved to play hockey, and he played it very well.
Morenz spent his glory years with the Montreal Canadiens, and loved playing in Montreal so much that he once said, speaking of the Canadiens, "When I can't play for them, I'll never put on a skate again." In reality, everyone knew that wasn't true, because Howie Morenz's love for hockey would overwhelm that sentiment if he were ever to be traded.
Such a trade came in 1934, when he, goaltender Lorne Chabot and defenseman Marty Burke were traded to the Chicago Black Hawks for Leroy Goldsworthy, Lionel Conacher, and Roger Jenkins. Unsurprisingly, Morenz did put on skates for Chicago and spent a season and a half there before being traded again, this time to the New York Rangers for Glen Brydson.
Morenz's stay in New York would be brief. In 1936, the Canadiens brought back their former head coach, Cecil Hart. One of Hart's conditions for returning to coach the team was that Morenz be brought back, which the team did. Morenz's return to his beloved Canadiens seemed to jump start his play, as his stats were noticeably improved from the previous season, but he wouldn't make it through the end of the campaign.
On January 28, 1937, in a game against the Black Hawks, Morenz was checked by Earl Seibert, while rushing into the offensive zone. His left skate was caught in the ice as he went down, leading to a severe leg injury in which his leg was broken in four places. He spent weeks in the hopsital, and convinced the injury had ended his career, he slipped into a depression and suffered a nervous breakdown.
On March 8, Morenz complained of chest pains, and his wife Mary and Hart were summoned to the hospital. Before they arrived, he got out of bed to go to the washroom, and collapsed and died, minutes before their arrival.
The official cause of his death was a coronary embolism, but fellow Canadien Aurel Joliat offered another very likely suggestion. "Howie loved to play hockey more than anyone ever loved anything, and when he realized he would never play again, he couldn't live with it. I think Howie died of a broken heart."
What do you live for? If every worldly possession and talent you had were taken away from you, would you have any reason to continue in life? If you live for the world, the answer is no. The fact of the matter is, that one day, whether through loss or death, all of it will one day be gone. This world is temporary, and the things it offers can't last.
There is nothing wrong with having hobbies and interests, but life is meaningless if it's lived only for this world and what it can offer. Most people live such a sad, meaningless life. They fail to keep the things of this world in their proper place. Those who don't know Jesus Christ are doomed to a life like that as long as they don't know Him. Christians aren't destined to such an existence, but sadly, many choose to live life like that.
If our lives are to have any meaning whatsoever, we must live for the Saviour and for Heaven. Deeds done with God as the focus will last for all eternity. They can't burn up, they can't decay, and they can't be stolen. If our treasures are in Heaven, we have something to live for even if everything in the world were taken away from us.
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