put better

come unto me
Originally uploaded by gwbrark.

Fr. Leander Harding better expresses my thoughts on the media coverage of the pope's death. The main thing is how incredible it was that the media channels were all avenues for the proclamation of the gospel, for about four days, and nearly exclusively.

Read the whole thing at Fr. Harding's site.


I found the Pope's funeral deeply moving. I was touched by my own unplumbed feeling for the life of this great Christian witness and by the remarkable fruitfulness of his ministry. Even in death he was proclaiming the gospel to countless millions, yes millions, who would not otherwise have heard it. About every ten minutes or so I would find myself being astounded that this whole event was being presented on CNN in an entirely reverent and respectful way. I was quite touched to watch some of the news commentators as they explained the liturgy clearly from notes prepared by others grow in understanding and awe as they began to develop some understanding of the language of the church and began to feel the power of the Gospel embedded in the church's ritual. One would have to have a heart of stone not to be impressed by the huge crowds that kept coming and coming.

Two moments particularly impressed. There was a reading from the Acts of the Apostles. It was Peter's sermon in Acts 10:34 and it was the most beautiful and succinct summary of the Gospel being read to perhaps the largest world wide television audience ever assembled and read in a context that caused the words to be electric with life. I am not sure what the translation was but it was stunning, describing a reality massively and incontrovertibly in front of your eyes. "God has no favorites but anyone of any nationality who acknowledges Him is acceptable to Him." And then on to the story of the savior who indeed comes to the world through Israel and how the Apostles were witnesses of his death "by hanging on a tree," and how God raised Him up and He appeared alive, "not to everyone but to chosen witnesses who ate and drank with Him after the resurrection," and "We are the ones commanded to be witnesses of His resurrection and to proclaim that everyone who believes in His name shall receive the forgiveness of their sins." CNN a partner in the reverent communication of the Gospel. What amazing fruitfulness of ministry God worked through this man and this moment.