Opus and Atleti: believing until the end

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The other day I was talking to a friend of Opus Dei, now an elderly man in poor health, about the current canonical situation of the Work. With great peace and a sense of humor, he told me that he had a similar feeling to the one he felt as an Opus Dei fan. Atlético de Madrid. He did not specify what exactly he was referring to, but the metaphor made me laugh and I gave Chat GPT the following instructions: "Compare the current canonical situation of Opus Dei with being a fan of Atlético de Madrid. Make an ironic and funny article".

This was his response:

If you want to understand the current canonical situation of Opus Dei, you don't need to dive into canon law. It is enough to be a fan of Atletico de Madrid and tie the ends together: both experiences require blind faith, epic resilience and an almost supernatural ability to make the best out of the worst.

Opus Dei, once a prelature with autonomy that winked at the leadership of Guardiola's Barça (it had its own "non-negotiable style"), has now been relegated to the league of the long-suffering. And what is it to be Atleti but a secular form of asceticism? Both the Colchonero fan and the Opus Dei member live in a constant dialectic between promised greatness and everyday reality. "Match by match" is the equivalent of "sanctify yourself in the little things of every day". Every victory, a miracle; every defeat, a penance.

But what most unites both institutions is widespread misunderstanding. Being Opus or Atleti means that others look at you with a mixture of curiosity and compassion. In a polarized world between Barça and Madrid, Opus Dei and Atleti are not the main course of the menu, but they are the ingredient that gives the right flavor to the meal.

Of course, both know what it is like to live under suspicion. Opus Dei is burdened with rumors of dark conspiracies and power ambitions, although it now seems to have fewer resources than a newly promoted team. Atléticos, meanwhile, endure the jokes that they are the eternal runner-up, the club that makes it big on the epic of losing at the last minute.

And yet, therein lies their greatness. Both Opus Dei and Atleti turn adversity into virtue, displeasure into hope and suffering into joy. If there is one thing the fans and members of the Prelature are clear about, it is that, although times are difficult, the game is not over until the final whistle. Courage, because faith moves mountains... and withstands relegation.

So much for the words of artificial intelligence. They do not serve to clarify what is happening or what may happen, but at least they can bring a smile to your face and help you prepare a good lemonade. 

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