ASKING  FOR  A  SIGN

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4^th Sunday of Advent [A] is, “Asking for a Sign.”

It comes from the first sentence in today’s first reading from Isaiah 7, “The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying: ‘Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God….’

As soon as I read that I said to myself,  “Hey, everyone does that.”

Everyone wants signs from God.

FOR EXAMPLE

For example, someone is sick so they ask God for a healing. And then we start looking for signs that we or a love one is getting better.

For example, a kid has stopped going to church. Christmas is coming. We want to hear them say something like, “We’re going to the Christmas eve Mass and we hope there is parking.”

For example, we know a family marriage is shaky and we’re listening for a brother or sister or one of our kids to give off a sign that things are better.

TO BE HUMAN

So to be human is to look for signs.

We look for the handshake.  We look for the other’s eye in an interaction, to see if they will look us in the eye.  We had a fight the last time we were with them and we hope things are now better.

We listen to sound tones - in phone calls - to see if forgiveness might be coming or has already happened.

We get new neighbors.  We look for signs about what kind of neighbors they might be.

We get a new boss.  We’re watching. We waiting. We’re wondering. We’re hoping. We’re trying to figure what they might be off on.

I hold that we have unwritten lists of what to look for in a good doctor, plumber, mechanic, restaurant, teacher, book, priest, TV program, barber or hair dresser.

We have our signs - our leading indicators.

We sing the old song inwardly, “Don’t talk about love. Show me!”

To be human is to look for signs.

THE OLD TESTAMENT

In the book of Exodus, the pharaoh is given 10 signs, 10 horrors, 10 tragedies, before he’ll let the Israelites go. He doesn’t believe in Moses’ message from God.

Divorces, splits or break ups, don’t happen after 1 mistake. There is always the 10 plagues or 10 disasters before someone sees the light.

THE FOUR GOSPELS

If we read the gospels, we see this question about looking for signs happening from time to time.

People nag Jesus for a sign to prove he has the right to say what he is saying and to do what he is doing.

Sometimes he gives signs; sometimes he doesn’t.

He challenges people’s faith - that it’s all based on signs and wonders - and not on faith - faith is better.

Jesus tells us to read the signs of the times.

In the gospel of John we notice a dynamic happening: This is the first of his signs. It happened at a wedding in Cana of Galilee where Jesus changed water into wine. We can follow that thread - that pattern - to see all 7 of Jesus’ miracles: the 7^th being the resurrection.

Last Sunday we had the scene in the gospel when John the Baptist - in prison - sent some of his disciples to ask if Jesus is the One.  And Jesus tells them to tell John the Baptist what they see: “the blind regain their sight,  the lame walk, people with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raise, and the poor have  good news proclaimed to them.”

Today’s gospel gives us one of the birth of Jesus stories in the gospels.

Joseph believes the dream he has and takes Mary into his home.

Christmas - the Christmas story - the Christmas sign - is one of the two great signs of Christianity - of our faith.

The sign of the baby and the sign of the cross are central to our faith.

They touch the beginning and the end: birth and death.

We just had our Parish Mission and on the last night Father Kevin MacDonald asked folks to bring to church a faith or a love sign from their home. He and Deacon Leroy went through the church on Thursday night and blessed those signs. Right behind me a lady had a cross and right next to her a lady had a painted nativity scene.

St. Francis of Assisi stressed the crib and the cross as two great signs.

St. Alphonsus stress the big 3 signs: the crib, the cross and the tabernacle.

If you are looking for signs - meditate on the two great signs - one at the end of Advent - and the manger will be put up this coming week and we’ll venerate the cross on Good Friday.

And isn’t the Eucharist the great faith sign of Catholic Christians?

And we do, but we shouldn’t, make fun of C and E Catholics.

This Christmas put on your fancy winter coats - but also a rich smile, so that those who come to Mass - get a glimpse of great Christmas joy. Amen.