The Cross Has Enemies Series

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT

Sergio Gutierrez Benitez was a kid growing up in a tough neighborhood of Mexico City in the 1950s. By age ten he’d already joined a gang, committed petty crimes, and started using drugs—marijuana at first, then harder drugs. Finally, after years of gang violence and drug addiction, he hit rock bottom in his early 20s and went to a local church to get help.

The priest said, “Have you come to confess?”

And Sergio said, “No, I want help, I’m a drug addict.”

“This is not a rehabilitation center, so get out!” The priest took him by the ear and threw him out. When he kicked Sergio out of the church, he turned around and insulted his mother. From that moment, it was his goal to become a priest.

Benitez thought that if there were more “cool and laid-back priests” who understood what it was like to grow up in poverty, they’d be better able to help troubled young people like himself turn their lives around. He decided that he would be that kind of priest. He checked into a drug rehabilitation facility and after sobering and getting the drugs out of his system, he then entered a seminary, and after several years of study he was ordained a Catholic priest in Veracruz, Mexico in 1973.

Benitez found his true calling when he rescued a child living under a bridge. He took the child in and opened an orphanage in Teotihuacan. Benitez never turned away a child in need. Soon he had dozens of kids in his care, more than he had money to feed. He was going to have to come up with money some way. Benitez thought back to 2 wrestling movies that we made in the 60s that were still being shown on television. They both had the same storyline—a priest who becomes a masked lucha libre wrestler to support a struggling orphanage. It worked in the movies, why not give it a shot?

Benitez took on the name Fray Tormenta “Friar Storm.” He admitted when he started wrestling, he imagined he would make a fortune and get out after a couple of years. He found out that the job paid as little as $20 a night. But he continued to wrestle and to keep a secret that he was really a priest.

But another wrestler attended a wedding he was performing and recognized his voice. Being exposed as a priest didn’t hurt Benitez’s career, it helped it. He built a large following because of the kids he was raising money for. People began to attend his matches with donations of cooking oil, rice, beans, and other food to take back to the orphanage. They also brought pots and pans—not for cooking, but to bang on as encouragement during his matches. “Luchadores were afraid to fight me, not because of my strength or skill but they were afraid of the fans. They would shout out, ‘You can’t fight a priest!’ and throw tomatoes, garbage, and even coins at the other wrestlers!”

He made many tours after this in the US and Japan and became quite famous. The money got larger for him as he went to Japan and would earn $5000 a match. In 2014, Benitez retired for good. Over his career, he broke his nose, ankle, 3 ribs, mangled several fingers, and dislocated his shoulder. But rather than think about all that he’s been through, he focuses on the more than 2000 homeless kids that his wrestling saved from a life on the street. Many have gone on to lead fulfilling lives as doctors, lawyers, accountants, computer technicians, and other professions. At least one other had also become a priest. Several followed his footsteps in the ring.

As some of you may have guessed, yes, Sergio Gutierrez Benitez was the inspiration for the 2006 film Nacho Libre).

Sergio’s enemy of the priest that turned him away became his inspiration to help others. Even the ones we see as representing Jesus can (at times) be an enemy. And today, our lesson is that The Cross Has Enemies.

PHILIPPIANS 3:17-4:1

17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.