Are We Just Swinging at the Ball? Rethinking Carpe Diem, by Terry Hursh

By Terry Hursh, Catholic Exchange, Jan. 7, 2026

Terry Hursh was a Lutheran Pastor for 32 years, serving parishes in both Canada and the United States. He reverted to the Catholicism of his youth after retiring. Crediting the Early Church fathers and a deep dive into early Christian practice, he echoes St. John Henry Newman: “One cannot be deep in history and remain Protestant.” He is also a practicing attorney and current student of Canon Law. He resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

One of golf’s most amusing—and revealing—stories involves a Scotsman introducing the game of golf to former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.

Carefully placing the ball on the tee, the Scotsman took a mighty swing. The club struck the turf, spraying dirt all over the president’s beard and the surrounding area—while the ball sat calmly on the tee. He swung again. And again, he missed.

After six patient attempts, President Grant quietly remarked, “There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in the game…but I fail to see the purpose of the ball.”

That observation reaches far beyond the game of golf. It describes many lives today. There is plenty of activity, plenty of motion—but very little progress. …