Somehow I thought of being a priest when I saw the Superbowl commercial below.
In this commercial there is a little dog named “Wego” who, when his name is called, runs and fetches a spirited drink (aka Bud Light) for those who call his name. Yes, you might see Wego as a kind of “Domini canis” (a dog of the Lord), who fetches something of the “spirit” for those who ask. While some say this Latin expression is where Dominicans get their name, that is not so, they are named after St. Dominic. Yet many priests, Dominican and other, proudly wear the title Domini canis as well!
Yes, I’d just like to say that “Wego” represents every priest who is called to be a Domini canis (a dog of the Lord).
Now Wego is also called a “rescue dog” which is another good title for a priest. For, rescuing souls from darkness and drawing them to the life of the Spirit, by God’s grace, is surely a central role of the priest. And we should be willing to work like dogs to do it.
In fact, I have it on the best of authority (my own imagination) that the dog’s name WEGO is short for Willing Energetic God Offerer. Which is also what every priest should be.
Now Wego the Dog brings a “spiritual” beverage to to each person in need. I pray you will allow for the humor of considering beer a symbol of thing spiritual. I beg your patience on two counts.
- First Scripture also plays on “spirited” drinks and the Holy Spirit. For when the Holy Spirit descended on them in the upper room and the crowds marveled at their joy we read: Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine” (Acts 2:13). Yes, some in the crowd confused the effects of the Holy Spirit with an ordinary spirited drink! But joy is hard to hide. They are indeed filled with the Holy Spirit.
- In second defense I offer the oft disputed quote of Ben Franklin who (may have) said, Beer is a sign that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Whoever said it, I largely believe it’s true, if the beer is consumed in moderation. 🙂
With these two witnesses in my favor please allow the spirited beverage (aka the Beer) to represent the Holy Spirit and things spiritual.
And one final thing to note about Wego the “dog of the Lord” is that he adapts himself to the needs of each person or group. As St. Paul says,
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings (1 Cor 9:19-23)
Thus note how Wego the dog assesses each situation differently and responds. But note too, he always brings the same spirited beverage. Thus, though his approach is different, the “truth” of what he offers remains unchanged. Many priests have to do this as well, adapting themselves to many different situations while never compromising the Gospel, the Word of God or the teachings of the Church.
In this short video you’ll see a number of aspects of priestly ministry that Wego exhibits analogously:
- There is Men’s Ministry
- There is Women’s Ministry
- There are pre-Cana instructions
- There is a baptism
- There is Theology on Tap
See if you can find them all in the video. At the end is a call to prayer, for rescue dogs. But perhaps you might also see Wego asking you to pray for priests, the rescue dogs in your own life.
Wego, Dog of the Lord!
Rescued. Thank you.
I think Wego is the adult child of an alcohlic in need of a twelve step intervention.
Are you referring to his people pleasing trends? 🙂
Or his seeming belief that an alcohol based drink is the answer to everything?
It’s been implied, in the past, that commercials used a lot of sex symbolism to draw people to their products; without the people realizing that their motives were somewhat lust based. Has it been discovered that commercials are now doing much the same thing with people’s hunger for spiritual values? If so, it’s probably a good thing that attention is being called to it but, with it seeming to be directing a desire for that which transcends the physical into the very mundane, should there be so much light hearted banter that appears to endorse it?
Well you are being a bit literal in describing it as an alcohol-based drink. You are using the denotative meaning while I am clear that I am using a connotative meaning. In a way you have to accept my connotative premise to “get it.” So, I don’t know Peter, but I also write on the pretext that even a broken clock is right twice a day. The risk you imply (that I am endorsing bad things) is not without merit but I should also want to avoid being a sourfaced saint. In this sense, a little light banter is not out of place. As for the content itself, beer and other spirited beverages are not out of place when consumed in moderation. As for the sex stuff, its subtle and can interpreted without prejudice. The couple in scene are not doing anything inappropriate, and even if they are, Wego interrupts. The arrival of the three women and the interest by the men is not wrong per se, beauty is meant to attract. Thus, I think the matter escapes your critique, but the premises of my approach must be granted for the conclusion to hold.
I did proofread my comment prior to clicking on “submit” but, upon checking it in the context of your reply, I see that I didn’t clearly reflect how I was trying to join in the light hearted banter that I felt you used when mentioning “people pleasing”
While I don’t drink alcohol, I see no harm, and even a possible benefit, in the occasional indulgence for those who can indulge lightly and, definately try to avoid being a sour faced saint. Enjoying my faith is easier, more pleasant and encourages me to progress. Sometimes I compare my reaction to alcohol to my reaction to soya protein. An excellent and readily digestible source of protein for many others but a quick means to an allergic reaction for me, that once required emergency medical attention and left me sick for several days after. Scripture presents more than one reference to the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption and dire warnings about over indulgence. Enter “wine” in any good biblical search engine and one will find some of both.
The main point, though, is not about overt sex symbolism in modern advertising such as mild reference in the Bud Light commercial or the stronger ones that can be sometimes found in some of the cable network commercials, such as provocatively dressed performers doing provocative things with an implication that purchasing a certain product leads to fulfillment.
I’m thinking of hidden sexually stimulating symbols which the conscious mind can detect, but usually does not, so that; while these messages are not subliminal in the actual and legal definition; they act in the same or similar manner as subliminal because the conscious mind does not detect them. I recall that there was quite a fuss made about them in the late 1960’s and the early 1970’s and that they faded out of advertising once the public became aware and developed skill of finding them.
I had a little difficulty finding some examples on the net that weren’t too over the top but, http://subliminalmanipulation.blogspot.com/ seems to show some example(s) with hand signals that a mouse can understand, if properly trained.
My concern is the possibility that, spiritual symbolism seems so woven into so many commercials since you manage to detect and illustrate them so well, and that an unsatisfied hunger for spiritual values could be accessed to mislead one to seek spiritual fulfillment in the worldly things which are being advertised. In short a suspicion that viewers are being set up to be led astray. Not that I don’t see anything inherently wrong with the worldly for a person should be responsible about our physical needs but, to be diverted to them when in our spiritual quests …?
Also, with artistic talent being so often right brain (or left brain in a left handed person?) this could be happening without willful intent or malice as artists “feel” each others’ techniques and the results of those techniques rather than analytically observe them.
In closing, thank you for using, “denotative” and “connotative” so that I got to expand my knowledge when I looked them up.
I try to avoid being much after the fact but sometimes it feels necessary and, I try not to regard “it feels” with “it is”
While I don’t think that I’ve heard the term “sour faced saint” I’m sure that I’ve heard of the concept before.
Perhaps such people could be directed to look at Matthew 6:16-18. Again, it seems appropriate to me but, I am imperfect and could fall into the error of quoting Scripture out of context in an unapplicable way but, I try.
I’m also reminded of a quote attributed to Michael Foucault that humility is the worst form of conceit but, perhaps false humility would be more accurate.
Beer is quite good for us when we need rest from labor, stress and strain – and liquid refreshment for a parchey thirst – or simply a quick nap. And so, also, that Beer which the Dog of the Lord brings – helps us “enter into His rest.” Here Wego! 🙂
Yes indeed.
Wego says the couple that think they are saying, “Here we go,” but are really saying, “Here, WEGO,”: “wait a second, all well and good, but not without the Holy Ghost”–that is not without a conscecrated marriage.
Thanks Msgr. For your humor n your service. You n other priests do have an venomous task today which you have taken on freely and voluntarily knowingly and humbly. I am just one of many who you have touched and helped with the path from darkness into light.
Altough,I continue to struggle,I am truely grateful Wego had an influence on your vocation. 🙂
If Wego were a GOOD dog, he would be spurning the Bud Light in favor of Sierra Nevada or Yuengling.
I was thinking the same thing, but Guinness.
Our favorite breed is rescue! Thank you, Bud for helping promote rescue dogs!
The comment about “sour faced saint” twigged a memory which took a while to come to the top. I don’t think that I’ve heard that specific term before but, I have certainly heard of the concept, usually expressed as a somewhat undesirable goal.
Last night, during the quiet hours when sleep comes and goes gently, the memory came back to me; Matthew 6:5 & 16-18. I try to avoid a biased sort of picking scriptural references with a one sided tendency to abuse the message but, I am far from perfect so I’m not claiming that this is the one and all about that.
Along with it came a seemingly entwined thought about disputes of the divine aspect of Jesus. In the concept of descriptive/prescriptive the plural marriages of some Old testament patriarchs is used as an indicator that the practice should be all right for Christians today but, does that mean that King David’s adultery and the delegated killing of his co respondent’s husband is also OK? I think not. Hence some things in the records are descriptive (the adultery etc.) and some are prescriptive, such as the things which David did before and during his reign in obedience to God.
Now, if we acknowledge the opening of the Gospel of John where God the Word becomes God the Son then all of His words and actions definitely seem prescriptive to me. However, if one is looking for a more comfortable and self indulgent set of rules in being a Christian then, that one may try to convince others to validate this approach by claiming that Jesus was an imperfect vessel of God’s perfect message; possibly comparable to some of the patriarchs and prophets – King David, Jonah, etc.
Such a one may want to gloss over such things as the times that Our Savior referred to Himself as “I Am” and so much more.
No matter how much human validation can be artificially claimed – a conspicuous minority and, even, a majority is not always right and while a lot of slick talk (along with an enticing claim that the supporters can join in the “fun”) may fool people but, what’s that worth at the final judgement?