BRANCHES! 

SIGNS OF HOPE 

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this First Monday in Advent  is, “Branches! Signs of Hope!

Every once and a while  - while walking - I’ve spotted small branches - branching out of sawed down tree. I stop and think to myself: “Interesting!” or “Wow!” or “There’s always signs of hope around.”

THE PROPHET ISAIAH

If you read the words - better - if you look at the images - slide shows of verbal pictures -  in the book of the Prophet Isaiah - you’ll spot great signs of hope.

The wolf is the guest of the lamb ….  The cow and the bear become neighbors …. Weak knees become stronger …. The lame leap like a stag…. Buds blossom …. Deserts bloom ….  Roads appear …. Crooked ways become straight ….  - Branches appear on stumps.

In today’s first reading from Isaiah 4: 2-6 - we have the image of the branch - one of these wonderful images from Isaiah. They hang like ornaments on the evergreen tree called Advent. Spot them and you spot hope.

Isaiah promises for survivors that they will find fruit - the fruit being honor and splendor - after a time of suffering in Jerusalem. There will be shelter and protection on Mount Zion -  like finding a shade tree on a hot day - or place to duck into in a storm - when it’s raining and pouring.

TODAY’S GOSPEL - MATTHEW 8: 5-11

Jesus spots hope in the words and sentiments of a centurion - whom Jesus says has more faith than those of his own people. He says to Jesus, “Just give me your word and that’s enough for my servant to be healed.”

THE CALL TO BE SIGNS OF HOPE

The title of my homily is, “Branches! Signs of Hope.”

Is that our call?

Aren’t we who are local branches on the tree called Christianity, called Church, called Christ - called to branch out to others - to give others words and signs of hope?

EXAMPLES

Take some time to look at our own life.

Who have been examples of hope for us?

What have been the signs of hope we have spotted.

Two people stopped to tell me after Sunday Masses yesterday that their spouses got good news - that the cancer is in remission for one and cut out for the other. A lady with gray scraggily hair on her head - after losing it all from chemotherapy said, “Look at my hair! It’s come back and it’s not going to be gray for long!”

People who have lost a loved one often tell me about something that happens that gives them a smile on their face and hope in their brain: the sky is different - something falls off a book shelf - a bird is on the branch of a backyard tree - and for some reason this helps them say that it’s okay now. “It’s okay now!”

My brother told me once that he missed Sunday morning Mass so he went to another church for a Sunday evening Mass. The place was at a distance. He sat down.  Sometime during the Mass spotted one of his daughters in front of him - all by herself - at that same Mass.

Surprise. He said it was quite a surprise.

CONCLUSION

We are people who are often looking for signs of hope - some sign that branches out of nowhere - or somewhere - where there has been hurt or disaster.

And praise God when we get these signs.

And praise God when we are these signs of hope for others. Amen.