Une Lumière Brésilienne dans l’Obscurité Parisienne (A Brazilian Light in the Parisian Darkness)

Many iconic images have come out of this year’s eventful Summer Olympics in Paris. From the casual Turkish marksman who spawned a million memes, to the Brazilian surfer who was photographed striking an epic pose in mid-air. Indeed, Brazilians have featured in their share of iconic images, like when American gymnasts bowed to Brazilian gold medalist Rebeca Andrade. My Brazilian friends are understandably proud of that moment.

But that picture pales in comparison to another one that has not just temporal but eternal value.

To understand the iconic moment that I am referring to, it has to be put into the context of the outrageous display of perversion at the opening ceremony in Paris, that culminated in a tableau which, despite weak protest to the contrary by people who either don’t speak French or are hoping you don’t, can only be understood as a blasphemous parody of the Last Supper (“La Cène sur la Seine”).

When you think about the theological significance of the Last Supper (La Cène), the sheer audacity of the blasphemy involved in replacing Christ and the apostles with a group of drag queens in various stages of undress staggers the mind. The original event took place shortly before Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross. Gathered with his most intimate disciples, he explains to them what that means, and how from that point on they, and all who would believe on him, would enjoy a special fellowship with God, because of what he was about to do. Across denominational lines and taking different forms, fellowship around the bread and wine – representing Christ’s body and blood – has been a focus of Christian worship for the last two thousand years. God, through Christ, reconciles Himself to us, his former enemies, and invites us to sit down with him and eat.

The powers that be offered a weak apology when it became clear that Christians around the world were outraged. But they miss the point. It’s not that the drag-queen story-hour on steroids offended Christians that should worry them. It’s that it offended God! (To be fair, many Christians miss this point as well.)

The “city of lights” has become a city of darkness indeed.

But…the light can penetrate even the darkest of hearts. And however much the darkness tries to take over, when the light shines, the darkness flees. All that is needed are Christians who have the courage to shine that light.

Enter a Brazilian girl named Rayssa Leal. Rayssa has been a skateboarding sensation here ever since she was a little girl, racking up first national, then international titles. Here in the state of Maranhão we are especially proud of her because she is a local girl, from the city of Imperatriz, where she and her family are members of a Baptist church.

Two days after the blasphemous opening ceremony, the sixteen-year-old athlete took to the track, and there, in front of the cameras, and millions of spectators, she did this:

In case you didn’t catch it, she signed “Jesus is the way, the truth and the life” in Brazilian sign language. And just like that, the horrible Last Supper parody, with it’s millions of dollars of investment, was yesterday’s news. When people realized what she had done she was headline news first here in Brazil then around the world. Many mistakenly identify her as Catholic (she’s Brazilian so she must be Catholic, right?) but that’s okay, because the important thing is that the message of the French drag queen had been undone by the Brazilian “skating fairy” (“Fadinha do Skate” is her actual nickname here in Brazil).

At this writing there is talk of here being penalized in some way for her actions. Apparently it’s against the rules for displays of religious belief (a rule which apparently does not apply to the opening ceremony, but I digress). But that’s okay. I have a feeling that Christians are going to have to get used to being rule-breakers again in the days and years ahead. And a young Brazilian skate-boarder has shown us the way.

And in showing us the way, she showed the world that Jesus is indeed the way the truth and the life, and that is good news for me, for Rayssa Leal, and even (especially) for the French drag queens. My hope is that every single one of them will come into contact with the truth of Rayssa’s message, will believe, and will join the rest of us redeemed sinners in fellowship around the the bread and wine.

____________________

Did you enjoy this post? Consider making a donation to our ministry in Brazil.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that clicking on these Amazon links and making purchases is one way you can help our work.

And be sure to read the action-packed adventures of Missionary Max: Missionary Max and the Jungle Princess and Missionary Max and the Lost City.