<i>(We start with a black screen. As quickly as the black screen appeared, it is interrupted by an abrupt burst of static, after which Aaron Jones’ face appears onscreen. Because of the closeness of the shot, there is nothing else visible in the room – the background is black. Jones stares straight into the camera. He starts to speak, but is interrupted by another short burst of static, after which the screen goes black again)
(On the black background, words appear in large white letters)</i>
<b>Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Matthew 9:20-22</b>
<i>(After lingering onscreen for a few seconds, the white text fades away. As the screen goes black again, there is another burst of static, after which Aaron Jones’ face appears again. After staring into the screen for a second, he begins speaking)</i>
<b>Aaron Jones:</b> Many of the miracles performed by the Son of God during His time on earth saw Him heal the sick, aid the injured and even raise the dead.
On some occasions, His miracles were unsolicited. He saw pain and suffering and took it upon Himself to bring peace to those who wished to be freed of their pain. But on others, He was approached by those who were suffering. Many, knowing His reputation, sought His assistance in solving the problems they could not solve themselves.
But the woman who had for many years been unable to stop her hemorrhaging did not even ask for Jesus’s help. Instead, as He walked through a crowd, she merely touched His cloak and was healed.
You might be tempted to believe the woman was healed by her physical contact with Jesus’s cloak. But as the Son of God Himself confirmed after the woman admitted it was she who touched His cloak, it was not physical contact that healed her, but faith – faith that Jesus had the power to heal. Had the woman merely believed the cloak was magical, she might never have been cured of her ills. But because she had faith in Jesus, she was able to benefit from His miracle.
And so it is—
<i>(Jones is interrupted by another burst of static, after which he resumes his speech)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> And so it is that He will prove to the world at Wrestleverse IV just how great the extent of His power is.
He, of course, does not have anywhere near the abilities of Jesus Christ, nor does He expect to gain a following even remotely comparable to Jesus’s. But at Wrestleverse, He will show everyone that He has one ability in common with our Lord and Savior.
At Wrestleverse IV, He will perform a miracle.
Any observer can see that the odds are stacked high against Him at Wrestleverse. After many weeks of apparent willingness to do right, Anarky, the EPW World Heavyweight Champion, showed his true colors at Aggression 59. First, Anarky abandoned Him in the ring to waste time with Stalker, while He was trapped in the California Clutch after being hit with brass knuckles. Then, like a coward, Anarky attacked Him from behind. Unprovoked. After He was nothing but a fair, just and upfront tag team partner.
So it is clear that Anarky has put his own personal glory first and foremost, his lofty talk about being a changed man proved to be little more than bluster.
In addition, EPW owner Dan Ryan has officially declared war on Him. Though He understands why Dan Ryan’s first instinct might be to be upset with Him, He had hoped that Dan Ryan would use his time in the hospital not to plot revenge schemes, but to reflect on why He did what He did nearly a year ago. Alas, He knew this was an unlikely outcome. Instead, Dan Ryan has used his time off not to think of ways to make EPW a better league – and, by extension, ways to pull the wrestling business out of the swirling cesspool into which it has fallen – but to obsess over ways to hurt Him.
So it is clear than Dan Ryan has put his own personal glory first and foremost, his assumed intentions to run a good business proved to be secondary at best to mute vengeance.
Finally, Dan Ryan announced that he had appointed a special guest referee for His match with Anarky at Wrestleverse IV – clearly someone from His past who likely has, real or only imagined, a score to settle with Him. Who that guest referee might be is anybody’s guess, as many have raised short-sighted dissatisfaction with His all-important crusade to rid this business of those who would destroy it for their own personal gain. He can think of no fewer than eight names off the top of His head, rivals from EPW and from His career before EPW. Nine, if you count a current EPW referee who might already be prejudiced against Him.
So it is clear that His EPW World Heavyweight Title match at Wrestleverse IV will not be called down the middle, and indeed may be officiated by someone wholly unwilling to make the necessary three-count for Him.
A cowardly champion. A power-mad authority figure. A crooked referee. Many would be surprised to see Him walk out of Wrestleverse IV the EPW World Heavyweight Champion, given the long odds He faces. Many would see His triumph at Wrestleverse IV as nothing short of a—
<i>(Jones is interrupted by another quick burst of static, after which he resumes speaking)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> … nothing short of a miracle.
But He is prepared to walk out of that match the victor. He is prepared to walk out of that arena the EPW World Heavyweight Champion.
He is prepared to perform a miracle – to succeed against impossible odds.
And in so doing, He will prove that His cause is truly as noble, that His aims are truly as pure, as He has said they are. He will show that despite Dan Ryan’s claims, He was always in control. He will begin the next phase of his holy crusade to cleanse this business with a miraculous accomplishment that will turn nonbelievers to his cause in record numbers.
But as was the case with our Lord and Savior, the greatest beneficiaries of His miracle will be those who had faith. Those who profess their faith in Him before He performs His miracle will prove themselves truly worthy of the new era He hopes to usher in. Their faith will heal them – and their faith will help heal this diseased business.
There is time yet before Wrestleverse IV. There is time for in-depth thinking, for tough decision. There is time to do what is right by the future of this business.
This message is not just for His opponents, His detractors. This message is for the entirety of EPW. This message is for the entirety of the wrestling business. This message is for everyone.
Put—
<i>(The shot cuts to static once again, then quickly restores the image of Jones)</i>
<b>Jones:</b> Put your faith in Him.
<i>(More static takes over the image, this time repeatedly cutting in as Jones continues to stare into the camera. Soon enough, the shot is overtaken entirely by static, after which it abruptly cuts to black)</i>
<i>(After a few short seconds of black, there is another burst of static. For a brief moment, Copycat’s face appears onscreen when Aaron Jones’ was, staring intently into the camera with his dead eyes. A second later, static cuts in again, and then gives way to black)</i>