LOOKING FOR A SIGN

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Looking for a Sign.”

I think that theme can sum up today’s readings, as well as sum up this moment – Christmas is almost here. I’m not worried about repeating myself because I don’t have to come up with another homily for Christmas – less than two days away. For the past dozen or so years I write a story for Christmas – instead of a homily.

So for this 4th Sunday of Advent, a homily on the theme: “Looking for a Sign.”

TO BE HUMAN

To be human is to look for signs.

Kids have been looking at presents in the corner or hidden in the closet – looking at the size of the box – wondering what’s behind that wrapping – shaking them – and some surely try to peal away the tape to get a peek at what’s inside.

To be human is to look for signs.

Parents look for signs that their new born baby is okay – normal – healthy – has 10 fingers and 10 toes.

Parents look for signs that their kids are moving along the right way – so that’s why we celebrate that first smile, that first roll over, that first word, that first step.

Parents look for signs that their kids are doing well in school – that they are athletic or artistic or can get A’s – or are happy, joyful, wonderful – but you better be hardworking if you’re a B student – and if a kid is autistic – that they get the best care possible for their child.

Parents look for signs that their teenagers are hanging out with the right kids – doing the right things, etc.

Parents look for signs that their teenager can handle a car okay.

Parents better be looking for signs from their kids!

Parents look for signs that this person their college or post college kid is serious with – is the right spouse for their child.

When married kids drop in or are dropped into for Christmas, their parents are looking for signs all is well.

Husbands and wives look for signs – consciously and unconsciously – all the time – that things are good, better and best in their relationship.

Husbands and wives get nervous when their parents look like they are slipping – and they wonder about their driving – their forgetting things, etc.

Men worry about prostate and women about lumps, etc. etc. etc.

When someone is sick, we look for signs they are getting better.

Our reporters, our talk show folks, our pollsters, are looking for signs who’s going to win in Iowa and New Hampshire – and then in all the states that follow – and the rest of us are looking for signs that it’s going to end.

Retailers are looking for signs how the economy is going – whether there is a recession going on or about to happen or what have you.

We look for signs of peace for our world.

We look at the weather report for December 25th. Some hope for a white Christmas – while others hope for a dry, clear, blue skies, good driving weather Christmas.

To be human is to look for signs.

TODAY’S FIRST READING

Today’s first reading from Isaiah – whom we heard from every Sunday this Advent, takes place roughly between 750 and 700 B.C.

Isaiah, the Prophet, is trying to convince Ahaz, the King of Judah – southern Israel, – not to enter into an alliance with Assyria – who’s leader is the powerful king. Tiglath-Pileser III. I love that name.

In the meanwhile Ahaz is being attacked by the tribe of Ephraim and Syria or Aram. So war is going on – and he needs to make an alliance. He looks around and it hits him to reach out to Assyria.

Isaiah asks him not to do this.

He won’t listen to Isaiah. He won’t ask God for a sign to indicate that Isaiah is correct.

So Isaiah says, “The Lord will give you a sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”

In the Hebrew text, there is a word, “ha alma”. The translation you heard this morning translates it into English as “virgin”. The normal word for “virgin” is “betula” – but that is not the word used in the Hebrew text. Well, according to some scholars the better translation for “ha alma” would be “young woman”.

Some scholars think it refers to King Ahaz’s wife. Isaiah promises Ahaz, if he follows his advice, his wife will get pregnant – and your dynasty will be preserved. The Davidic dynasty, the House of David will continue.

Obviously, when wars are going on – and they always seem to be going on in Israel and Palestine – people are always looking for signs.

Aren’t we all looking for signs in Iraq that the Sunni’s and Shiites will work this out. Aren’t we looking for signs that Al Qaeda is lessening?

TODAY’S GOSPEL

Matthew in today’s gospel takes that text from Isaiah and applies it to Jesus.

Maybe that’s the reason they translated the Isaiah text we heard this morning using the word “virgin” instead of young woman.

Notice he let’s us know that Joseph is also from the House of David.

Notice Jesus is born in the town of David – Bethlehem.

Notice that Matthew is telling us that Jesus is a sign from God – a sign that things are about to change – that Jesus is Emmanuel – God with us.

LOOKING FOR SIGNS FROM GOD

To be human is to look for signs from God.

If there is a television news report that Mary has appeared in southern New Mexico or southern Italy or southern Belarus or southern Argentina, some people would be buying tickets immediately to get there as soon as possible.

To be human is to look for signs from God.

IN CONCLUSION
People hearing a sermon look for signs when the sermon is going to end. That’s why I like to say, “In conclusion”.

However, as we all know, speakers and preachers might say “in conclusion”, but it might not happen. They might just be warming up – and take forever to get to their real conclusion – which is what I am going to do right now. Sorry.

The Christmas message is that Jesus has already appeared - being born in Southern Israel – Bethlehem.

Christmas is the great sign from God.

That’s the message of the gospels.

That’s the message of Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans – which is today’s second reading.

This past year several books came out – announcing there is no God.

This Christmas and every Christmas – as well as the millions of people who go to Mass – every Sunday – are announcing that there is a God.

And we all know Christmas means Christ mass – no wonder most Catholics go to Mass at least once a year: Christmas.

Who but God could up with the idea that his son is present in the bread and the wine – in hopes not only of nourishing us each Mass – but also to remind us to eat together – and be in communion with each other.

Who but God would come up with such a story: a young girl in one of the smallest villages in Israel, some 2000 years ago, becomes pregnant – without a male? Angels talk to her and Joseph. And then just before she’s to have the baby, Joseph has to get to Bethlehem for a census, etc.

Why did God decide to come as a baby?

We all know that everyone is comfortable with babies.
We all know that babies stop us in our tracks.

We know that babies reach out to the good, the bad, and the ugly.

We all remember Marlo Brando in Godfather I and the scene with his little grandson in the garden. Here is this godfather grandfather who had to kick and kill and connive to get to the top – being a little kid again

Remember the scene in the 1987 movie, “The Untouchables” when a lady with the baby carriage is on the stairs. It’s the wrong place at the wrong time – but somehow we know everything is going to work out – even if bullets are flying – and she let’s go of the baby carriage. Andy Garcia runs and slides under the baby carriage and throws a gun to Kevin Costner – at the same time and saves, mother, baby, and the situation – and the bad guys lose.

Those who have already have had the birth of the Christ Child in the manger of their heart know things are going to work out – because they have hoped in Christ – and grown in Christ – through the years.

Jesus is the great sign we’re looking for. Amen.

We who follow Christ are the sign people are looking for. Amen.

[Now that took 7 and a half minutes! Not too bad.]

EVERGREEN

The evergreen tree envied
the attention the other trees
received in the spring, the summer,
but especially in the autumn.
Everyone kept talking about
the bright blaze
in the red, orange, yellow colored leaves,
everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.

Then they were forgotten
as they lay there on the ground
in their tan brown sameness,
feeling the humiliation that
decaying leaves must feel,
everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.

Time changes what we see;
time changes what we talk about.

With November come
quick cold conversations,
after work, after church,
as we run to our cars.

Some stop to spot
the naked branches of November –
especially in late afternoons,
glove less fingers nervously scratching
darkening skies –
quiet, quiet, quieter,
cold, cold, colder.

Then comes December.
Everyone wants indoors.
Okay, there are the shopping
trips to the stores
and the Christmas parties.

Lights, more and more lights,
keep appearing
in windows and trees.

Then, all of a sudden,
it's December 25th.

December is always a rush.

It's evergreen time.
Every Christmas tree says,
“Look at me! I’m lights. I’m ornaments.
I’m tinsel and silver strings. I’m beautiful."

Then, the Christmas tree
says to itself, "Enough of that."
It knows, "It's not about me!"

Then it adds,
"But under me is the place
people put all these gifts
for those they love.
Under me is the space,
where some put the Stable:
the reason for the season."

Then on December 26th or 27th,
Christmas trees start to get nervous.
Every evergreen tree knows
the story of the leaves.
They have around long enough
to know about life and death.
They know they have been cut down
soon to be thrown out.

Yet there is joy.

Like the leaves
they have done their job.

Silent night - day - night -
and then the long wait for spring:
there will be resurrection,
there will be repeat performances.

© Andrew Costello, Reflections, 2007

CELL PHONE

Whom are all these people talking to
on their cell phones walking and driving by me?

Then the obvious hit me: they are talking to
all these other people talking on their cell phones
walking and driving by me?

Then my next question:

"I don't get it. What are your talking about? "

Then came an answer:

Talk to someone on their cell phone.

They’ll explain it.

© Andy Costello, Reflections 2007

BALLYNAHOWN, GALWAY

Rock walls – many, many rock walls,
low lying rock walls everywhere,
parceling out the land,
all along the up and down, twisting and turning, dirt roads.
I took notice of the yellow green stains in the stones.
Time and weather pockmarks everything,
including the faces peeking out at us
from curtained cottage windows,
“Probably American tourists checking out their roots.”
Our Aunt Nora was taking us down to see our ancestors
in the little cemetery right at the edge of the sea.
Standing there with my two sisters, Peggy and Mary,
my Aunt Nora, my brother-in-law, Jerry,
I was listening to the moaning cows, the wind,
the lapping and clapping of the grey sea.
I was looking at the ever, forever background
of Ballynahown. I began wondering,
“Did mom and dad stand here many years ago,
looking at the cemetery stones, the rock walled pastures,
the dirt roads, and then turn and look to the sea,

dreaming of having a family, us, another life,

on the other side of this rocky, rugged coast?"

© Andy Costello, Poems, 2007

Picture taken by Mary Connolly

in September 1999,

West Coast of Ireland,

right where my parents were born.

QUESTION AND  
ANSWER PERIOD  

Question: “Below, behind, beneath,
under, in back of what counts,
the answer is hidden there,
so why do I remain on my surface?”

Answer: “It’s ME
and it seems you don’t want ME.
I walked the surface once
and you walked away from me.
I reached out once
and you crucified ME.
You buried ME,
so now if you want to rise,
you'll have to find ME,
not only
in the gentle breeze
and the baby's smile,
but also
in crushed grapes and ground wheat,
in the mix and the muddle,
in the mystery of cancer and death,
in breakdowns and breakups,
in the below, behind, beneath,
under, in the back of what counts –
otherwise
you’ll always be a question, period.

© Andy Costello, Poems, 2007

DOUBTS ABOUT JESUS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Doubts About Jesus.”

What are your doubts about Jesus?

“Don’t have any!”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope!”

“You mean to tell me you never had any doubts about Jesus?”

“Never!”

"You mean to say you didn't hear about the new book on Mother Teresa of Calcutta - and how she had years of doubt - or the so called Dark Night of the Soul?" [Cf. Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light - The Private Writings of Mother Teresa, authors Mother Teresa and Brian Koludiechuk]

"Nope!"

“Okay! But I’m still going to preach this homily entitled, “Doubts About Jesus.”

TO BE HUMAN IS TO HAVE DOUBTS

To be human is to have doubts. Doubts are part of relationships. Doubts are part of love. In fact, if doubts were not part of love, love wouldn’t be as great as it can be.

Doubts get us thinking. Doubts get us talking. Doubts get us listening to each other better. Doubts can bring us reassurance. Doubts can get us to love another even more.

A LOVE STORY

I never forgot the love story a woman told me a long time ago – and she said I could use it in public anytime.

Her father was a disaster – and so she had problems with any notion of God as Father.

She knew this about herself.

I had heard while studying to become a priest – that you’ll meet people who will have doubts and difficulties about calling God “Our Father” – because they will have had trouble with their own fathers. Here I was experiencing the reality, not in a classroom, but in a one on one conversation with this lady.

She was having trouble, having doubts, about God, about believing that God loved her – even more, that God knew she existed – and if God even knew that – whether God cared about her.

Out of the blue in response, I said, “Do you know anyone who loves you – anyone who knows you exist – anyone who cares about you?”

“Oh yeah,” she said, “my husband loves me.”

I remained quiet – hoping she would flesh that out.

She did.

She continued, “Once I was sick in bed for the longest time and he had to care for me – clean me – help get me better."

Then she added, "I was amazed at his patience. I don’t know if I would have his kind of love.”

Then she said, “One day I asked him, “Why are you doing this?”

“He said, ‘What?’ – then added, ‘Oh, because I love you.’”

She became quiet – then said, “I guess at times I doubted his love – but that cemented it.”

Being the priest I suggested, “Why not see God as husband?”

At that, the light went on in her eyes.

TODAY’S READINGS

In today’s gospel John the Baptist is in prison. While there he starts hearing about what Jesus was doing.

In the other John the Baptist stories that are embedded in the gospels – there are not that many – we see that John the Baptist was one tough person – calling for strict, tough, changes in one’s life.

Compared to James – whom we hear in today’s second reading, John the Baptist is not a person who has patience as one of his main characteristics.

James tells us to be patient – like a farmer waiting for the fruits of the earth – being patient for rain to fall – especially when it’s not falling.

John the Baptist is not like a farmer on a rocking chair on a porch pondering calmly the evening sky. No, he’s like a farmer who has an ax in hand and is chopping, chopping, chopping, at roots – and pulling them out of the earth with muscle and might, sweat and strain.

John called for a violent revolution in how we live our life.

He’s the type of person who would end up in prison because of his words. He did, because of his prophetic attacks on Herod – who stole his own brother’s wife. He was the type of person whose words were written not on nice pink paper – but on sand paper.

He could rub others the wrong way. [Cf. Luke 3: 19-20; Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:17-29.]

So when he hears that Jesus is healing the blind, helping the lame to walk, cleansing people from leprosy, making the deaf hear, raising the dead, and preaching good news to the poor, John the Baptist, while in prison, asks some of his disciples to go and ask Jesus if he is the one who is to come or should we look for another?

John the Baptist was having doubts about whether Jesus was the one we’re all waiting for.

THE SIX PEOPLE IN MARRIAGE

Sometimes I say to couples getting married that there are six people in the getting married situation. The he, you think he is. The he, he thinks he is. The he, he really is. The she, you think she is. The she, she thinks she really is. And the she, she really is.

Say that ten times fast.

APPLIED TO JESUS

Is it the same way with Jesus?

Is Jesus, the Jesus we think Jesus is?

Maybe doubts will help us discover Jesus in a new way.

THE NEW TESTAMENT & CHURCH HISTORY
I have discovered that the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament are constantly dealing with the Jesus Question?

The Jesus Question is: "Who do you say I am?"

The question is put there for us.

How do we answer that question?

I have discovered that the history of the Church is constantly dealing with the Jesus Question.

I have discovered that we are blessed with many answers to the Jesus Question.

Peter answers the question this way: “You are the Christ!” [Cf. Matthew 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20.]
We all know that when Jesus was arrested, Peter was asked three times if he knew Jesus. And we all know that Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. So I’m sure on the morning after the Resurrection when Peter saw Jesus at the Lake of Galilee, Peter answered the question this way: “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. You are the one I denied three times.” But Jesus asked a new question. He simply asked three times, “Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?” [Cf. John 21]

As I was preparing this homily, it hit me to pick 4 different ways Jesus is presented in the 4 gospels.

Matthew answers the question many ways. I like to read that Matthew describes Jesus as the New Moses – who will lead us out of the slavery of our Egypt - across the desert so we can be cleansed - to the Promised Land, to New Life, to the Kingdom, to a New Vision on how to live the life we’re all looking for - the Will of God. The Old Moses gave us the Ten Commandments on the Old Mountain; this New Moses gives us those commandments and a lot more – for example the Beatitudes on the New Mountain – challenge us to more than a life of avoiding sin, but to a fuller life with Christ.

Mark answers the question many ways. I like to read Mark seeing Jesus as doing a lot more than speaking – that the Christian serves more than he or she talks. I think that Mark is saying that action speaks much louder than words. Mark is the shortest gospel.

Luke answers the question many ways. I like to read Luke seeing Jesus as the one who sees the people we don’t see – the poor, the children, the unnoticed. The Mediterranean world was a world dominated by males. Women were kept in the back room. Luke begins with Mary out front – and the stone ceiling and walls for women in his day begin to disappear – and then we see Jesus coming through all walls – meeting and greeting all kinds of women and men. Women of today talk about glass ceilings. Obviously, we have a long way to go.

John answers the question many ways. I like to read John seeing Jesus as the poet – that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, that Jesus is the Living Bread, the Living Water, the Good Shepherd, and the New Wine – the Husband, the Image of his Father and on and on and on.

CONCLUSION: THE THREE COMINGS OF CHRIST

We’re preparing for Christmas – so we're preparing for coming of Christ.

As I reflected on this, I would say, "We're preparing for three comings of Christ."

We're preparing for the first coming of Christ - the memorial of what happened over 2000 years ago.

We’re preparing for the great so called, "Second Coming of Christ" at the end of the World. In the Early Church they thought this was immediate, so there are lots of parables and hints that it was about to happen. Surprise! Here we are in the year 2007 and we know the sun and the earth promise to be around for a long, long time, in spite of global warming and nuclear threats and disaster movies from time to time.

We're also preparing for personal comings of Christ in new ways - and this is where I would put the stress in this homily. At this point in my thinking, I would call these "Third Comings of Christ."

I think the first step is to have a few doubts – maybe Christ wants to be born again in me – not inside my cozy "Inn Places" – but outside - in my "stable" - better unstable places. I might have boxed Jesus into a Jesus that isn't Jesus.

Christmas is a time to open boxes. Christmas is a time to receive gifts. Christmas is the time to journey like a shepherd, shepherdess, King or Queen, Wise or Unwise, to Christ, with or without gifts.

I know that the Jesus I knew at 20 is very different than the Jesus I know at 68 – and right now I hope for at least 10 more years of a challenging relationship with him – and I’m sure there will be more doubts and denials – as well as more and more insights and challenges – and probably a hope for more years after that.

Maybe Jesus wants to be born in the messy manger of the me I really am – and not the me I think I am.

MANNEQUIN

Always on display,
out front, always in season,
dressed in the best
of clothes and shoes -
the latest fashions,
forever thin,
forever firm,
forever young,
and forever unaware
that people never really stopped
to get to know her.
To be honest,
nakedly honest,
she had no personality,
no smile on her face,
no life or light in her eyes.
In fact, she was so
wrapped up in her clothes
that she didn’t realize
that people only came near her
to see her latest outfit
and the price on her sleeve.

© Andy Costello, Poems 2007