Homily

I saw an advertisement for Levi's on TV this week. There is a voice reciting these words:

"Your life is your life.  Don't let it be clubbed into dank submission.  Be on the watch.  There are ways out.  There is light somewhere.  It may not be much light, but it beats the darkness.  Be on the watch.  The gods will offer you chances.  Know them.  Take them.  You can't beat death but you can beat death in life sometimes.  And the more often you learn to do it, the more light there will be.  Your life is your life.  Know it while you have it.  You are marvelous.  The gods wait to delight in you.  Go forth.”

And while he is reciting this little piece there are many, many quick images of young people, including marching in protest behind a red flag, jumping around a bonfire, several shots of youth standing with their arms outstretched and, of course, several sex-oriented bits as well. This is an ad for Levi's! I wanted to get the text, so I went to YouTube, and of course it was there. Now get this: before you can watch the one minute Levi's commercial you have to watch another 10 second commercial! And, even more surprising, over 3 million people have watched this ad on YouTube!

What captured my attention, of course, was the message, the words, the text of this ad. Obviously it is geared towards teens and young adults and Levi's believes this is an ad that will catch their attention. I simply thought it was very stupid. As in "stupid.” I would love to go over the whole piece bit by bit but we don’t have time, so I’ll just comment on a few parts.

The ad warns, "Don’t be clubbed into dank submission.” Well, now, who are we supposed to think is doing the clubbing here? Perhaps the parents who paid for their kid's Levi's jeans? "There is light somewhere.” Thanks a lot. When you can tell me where the light is, I’ll listen to you. "The gods will give you chances.” Apparently our lives are like Chutes and Ladders; roll the dice! We get "chances.” "You can’t beat death, but you can beat death in life sometimes.” I really have no clue as to what this sentence means. Is it about helmets and seatbelts?

I bring up this ad because it represents attitudes that many young people identify with, and not just them but I think a fair number of their parents as well. (I grant that there are also a fair number of young people who might also call the ad "stupid.”) It’s all about you, you, you. Not about us. Not about them, those people who want to club you into submission. No dear friends, it’s all about YOU. You are the ones who create life by beating death. And, to quote the ad, "You are marvelous.” Why are you marvelous? Simply because you exist, you precious little, risk-taking, death-defying, light-creating marvelous you!

What an empty, stupid message. (Did I mention that I thought it was stupid?)

The ad claims there is a light "somewhere.” But today St. Paul tells us "Brethren, it is God Who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, shining in the face of Christ.” The ad says, "You can’t beat death.” But St. Paul says, "For while we live we are being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” The ad says, "There are ways out (of dank submission),” but today St. Paul says, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; troubled, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed . . .” The ad says, "You are marvelous. The gods wait to delight in you.” But St. Paul tells us, "it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people, it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.”

Two very different messages. One tells you that you are the center of the universe, the other tells you that you are beloved by God. One tells you that you can beat death, kind of, maybe. The other tells you that eternal life is offered to you by Christ. One tells you that maybe you can find a little light somewhere, while the other message assures us that the divine light of God Himself can shine in our hearts through faith.

One message rides the waves of individualism, self-centeredness, lust, materialism, superficial emotionalism, and kindergarten philosophy, while the Scriptures contain the depth of the meaning of our lives in this world, the saving work of Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father for us.

My generation was constantly bombarded with the same type of shallow messages that this Levi's commercial carries. And many in my generation effectively abandoned the Faith, or diminished its importance in their lives. The generation we raised has been assaulted ten times as vigorously with the same pagan values and so many have grown up with only the slightest knowledge or connection to the Christian faith.

My brothers and sisters, there is no treasure greater in this world than the Faith that has been given to us. There is no hope, no comfort, no glory, no compassion, no love, no forgiveness, no expectation, and no conclusion that is greater in this world than that which our Faith offers to us. But the Gospel truth is not shouted at us, it doesn’t come before our eyes and ears a hundred times a day and it doesn’t satisfy those desires that, when we give ourselves over to them, bring temporary pleasure but also denigration and shame. We have been given a great treasure free of charge, and if we neglect it, or don’t nourish it, we stand in poverty by our own decision. In contrast, I ask you to consider the alternative: the passing pleasures that the world offers always come to you at a cost; you always have to pay.

For the gift of divine life, Someone else has already paid on our behalf. Where do we think our treasure is to be found? And how much effort and time are we willing to spend in order that we can gather it up?