Stories of Faith: Smoothing an ice sheet is like cleansing a soul

Since our move to the Fargo area nearly 10 years ago, I have been working part-time jobs, mostly in the recreational services sector. I do this not because I have to, but because it helps me use free time in a constructive way and gets me close to the activities I love to be around. I have worked at golf courses, driving ranges, and this winter I am working for our local parks department at the ice arena in south Fargo. 
            One of my jobs is to drive the Zamboni machine. You’ve undoubtably seen one of these machines working the ice at a local ice arena. Maybe your kids or grandchildren have been involved in hockey or recreational skating. These machines are essential to keep the ice surface smooth and free of ruts and gouges, making skating safer and more enjoyable. You may be asking why smoothing the ice is like cleansing one’s soul. A metaphor came to me one evening as I watched one of my colleagues drive the machine around the ice. I likened the ice sheet to our souls, and the Zamboni to the act of Reconciliation.
            Conditioning or “zamming” a sheet of ice is more complicated than it looks. You may have heard the song by the Gear Daddies I Want to Drive the Zamboni and maybe you thought you just need to hop on and go. It’s not that simple. You need to know when to start the ice shaver, when to turn on the ice auger, when to lay down the cold wash water and then when to turn on and off the warm conditioning water, all the while maintaining the proper pace and pattern on the ice for maximum coverage and conditioning. You also need to keep the brushes along the boards as you make your first pass, being careful not to turn too quickly or not quick enough around the circular edges, all the while maintaining the brush’s contact with the boards. It’s harder than it looks. 
            Many Catholics feel the sacrament of Reconciliation is harder than it looks, too. I like to think the ice sheet represents our soul. Ice skate blades act as sin, marking up our souls to the point they need to be refreshed or replenished. The Zamboni machine represents God’s beautiful gift of Reconciliation. “Driven” by Christ, the “waters” of our tears of repentance pour out as we make our heartfelt confession. The result of our repentance is a soul that is “smoothed” and clean, unmarked by sin.
            However, we are human, and no sooner is our soul replenished when the ugly marks of sin come roaring back, like ice skate blades to an ice sheet. The Zamboni is used several times a day to keep that ice sheet free of marks and rutting. The same holds true with the sacrament of Reconciliation. No matter how many times our souls are destroyed by sin, God’s wonderful gift is always there, always ready to make your soul whole and pure again, no matter how many times sin gets to it.
            One last example of how God’s love replenishes our soul is the last act of running the Zamboni. At the end of the run, there is still shaved ice that needs to be done away with. The “sled” is lifted to reveal shaved ice that needs to be shoveled off the ice sheet, and the Zamboni then dumps its load of shaved ice that gathers in the front compartment of the machine into a vat of water. I look at this act as penance. Our soul may be free of the marks, but something must be done with the remnants of our sin, represented by the ice shaved off the ice sheet surface. When we pray or perform our penance, we dump that heavy load into the waste vat.
            Each time I am on the Zamboni I think of this metaphor. It stirs my soul and gives me hope that my soul is just waiting for a “zam” run from God’s gift of salvation in the form of this beautiful sacrament. Make it a point to get yourselves to confession. Get your soul replenished and free from the ugliness of sin. Go as often as you need to. God is always there waiting to make that run with you. Think of this the next time you watch the Zamboni make its run.