It all started late last January after the championship game:

a tough overtime loss and long year to re-load and re-aim.

A season of ups and downs still landed us atop the AFC west

but the goal is more than that: it is to be the very best.

Earning postseason play with Titans, Texans, Vikings, and Bills

that boasted big human weapons with superhuman skills;

soaring Ravens, Seahawks, and Eagles, flying amidst complaints

of good calls and bad ones—you can just ask the Saints!

From Starr to Rodgers, the Packers always get due attention

(I’m just so glad that the Patriots are no longer in contention).

That leaves only the top-ranked 49ers of ole San Francisco

for our Chiefs, who last played the big one before the era of disco.

First it was Houston, scoring quickly, putting us down by twenty-four;

but there’s no “give-up” in our guys, responding with a scoring out-pour.

Next, we hosted Tennessee and their mammoth running back beast;

again, we got behind before celebrating another comeback feast:

red and gold confetti and hoisting the trophy honoring Lamar Hunt.

It’s finally back home where it belongs.  What more could we want!

Well, for all the fans, the die-hards, the faithfuls, and the loyals,

who have waited even longer than we waited with the Royals,

we wanna conquer the top game—we simply gotta find a way

to make a victorious splash, down where the Dolphins play.

Let’s summon the legendary spirit of hall-of-famer, Hank Stram(i)

to matriculate the ball all the way down the field in Miami,

in the golden spirit of 1970, like a pass to Otis from Lenny,

channeling Bell, Budde, Lynch, Lanier—old heroes are many

to overcome Sherman, Ford, and Bosa: their defense is tried and true;

and on the other side of the ball sacking Kittle, Mostert, and Jimmy G-Q.

They’ll face a honey badger, a doctor, and Tyreek, who’s gone in a glance,

Fisher doused in beer and Kelce’s fight for the right to do his cha-cha-dance.

We cheer on the magic of Mahomes and the genius of Andy Reid.

Will he finally win the big one, get his ring, and unquestionably succeed?

As Arrowhead sits quiet now, the kingdom’s sanctuary of solemn beliefs,

the hallowed castle in freedom’s land remains forever: home of the Chiefs.

In this hundredth year of the NFL, what possibly could we want more?

On this golden jubilee of our champs, we want to win Super Bowl Fifty-four!

And there is another challenge we try to tackle each Super Bowl season where hunger is our opponent.  As America looks to Super Bowl LIV, we join with churches and other institutes of good will across the nation to collect soup to stock food pantries for the year ahead.  Last year, Saint Charles Parish collected over 30,000 cans of soup to support Kansas City’s northland pantries; and we are on pace to collect a higher number this year.  If your church participates in this annual effort to battle hunger in your region, please join in.  As our kindergarteners remind us, it allows us all to “get in the game.”  They learn words via phonics and think that LIV (this year’s Super Bowl number) is so that others may liv(e).  In a way, it is.  And if you’re looking for a pre-game tailgate party on the eve of the Super Bowl, feel free to join us at Saint Charles Borromeo to share a bowl of soup.  Admission is one can–or feel free to bring a case.  Thank you for all that you do to alleviate hunger and care for families that struggle.