I have often joked that from a worldly point of view, Heaven has a poor marketing department. Jesus’ saving actions were “publicity-poor” and many of the most important events, such as His birth and resurrection, were almost completely hidden. If I were God (and be glad that I’m not!), I would ride down on a lightning bolt while the whole world marveled. And then when I rose from the dead, I’d have put up the ancient equivalent of a JumboTron so that everyone could watch as I stepped forth gloriously and sent word out to round up my enemies. At the very least I would have said “Ta Da!”
Somehow I thought of all that as I watched the commercial below. Imagine that the ad is focused, not on a soccer match, but on the tomb as the stone rolls back, light pours out, and Jesus emerges. Instead of the announcer yelling, “Goal!” he could yell, “Alive!” or “Like a Boss!”
Enjoy the commercial.
If the Eucharist, the Source and Summit of every miracle as the Miracle of Miracles as the Sacrament and Self-Sacrifice of Christ, cannot convert hearts, than what miracle can? For it is not miracles, but faith, that grants us eternal life and every grace and truth. Hence “your faith has saved you” and “by faith Israel entered the Promised Land” and “Only the eyes of faith can penetrate the Real Presence” and “Faith and love are needed for Communion” and “Take as a shield the faith.”
If the Church, the Sacrament and Continuation of our Eternal Redemption as the Temple of God as the Body of Christ as the Wife of the Lamb, cannot convince people to not sin, than what being can? For Christ the Emissary or Son of the Father told the twelve Emissaries or Apostles, “Whoever listens to you, listens to Me.” The Good Shepherd Who became the Lamb of God appointed twelve lambs to shepherd His lambs, and they by lot chose the first Bishop Matthias to succeed the Apostle Judas, and this God even shows by giving us guardian angels as shepherds leading us to life.
In short, let us pray for greater faith and humility. Let us also pray for the conversion of people who mistake religion for sanctimony (such as the Zealots, who misused Judaism for terrorism) and people who misuse religion for evil (such as how the Nazis misusing Christianity, mistaking it for fundamentalism). This includes us too, because we can mistake our self-righteousness for righteousness and we can excuse our sins as piety.
To clarify: the Eucharist is the Source and Summit of the faith, for Christus Totus tells us so. He is Risen just as He said, and He turns the passover bread and cup of wine into Himself just as He said.