WEBVTT 00:00:00.620 --> 00:00:06.940 This morning, my dear people, I want to speak 00:00:06.940 --> 00:00:15.380 on the reasons for this season. Or better to 00:00:15.380 --> 00:00:21.399 say, the reasons why you and I are here on this 00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:33.100 day. And God said, Let there be lights in the 00:00:33.100 --> 00:00:39.039 firmament of the heaven to divide the day from 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:46.780 the night. And let them be for signs and for 00:00:46.780 --> 00:00:52.780 seasons and for days and years. From the very 00:00:52.780 --> 00:00:56.679 first chapter of the book of the Bible, Genesis, 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:06.239 verse 14. And let them be for signs. And this 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:14.659 morning I want to speak on the term sign. Because 00:01:14.659 --> 00:01:19.359 throughout the Old and New Testament, God has 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:26.680 clearly revealed himself as deliverer and father 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:33.500 of his people. Throughout the scriptures there 00:01:33.500 --> 00:01:41.019 are specific signs and events that God clearly 00:01:41.019 --> 00:01:51.099 used to involve himself in the history of mankind. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:02:02.659 There are hundreds of references. But I'll only 00:02:02.659 --> 00:02:11.000 use a few in order to emphasize the point. Certainly 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:17.800 the first reference to this sign we find in the 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:23.939 New Testament and we are all familiar with. And 00:02:23.939 --> 00:02:26.580 the angel of the Lord said to the shepherds, 00:02:26.699 --> 00:02:35.919 this will be a sign. To you. That you will find. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:42.000 The babe wrapped. In swaddling clothes. Lying 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:50.259 in a manger. This will be a sign for you. And 00:02:50.259 --> 00:02:52.780 in the Old Testament. The promises made to the 00:02:52.780 --> 00:02:58.120 patriarchs. To the prophets. And to all the righteous. 00:03:00.909 --> 00:03:09.409 were simply confirmed by many miraculous instances 00:03:09.409 --> 00:03:16.830 and signs. When we read the Old Testament about 00:03:16.830 --> 00:03:21.770 Noah and the flood, we also really read that 00:03:21.770 --> 00:03:26.909 after the appearance of the rainbow, there was 00:03:26.909 --> 00:03:34.650 a rainbow in the sky after the flood. And during 00:03:34.650 --> 00:03:38.370 the time of the exodus of the Israelites leaving 00:03:38.370 --> 00:03:45.189 Egypt after 400 years, God provided a passage 00:03:45.189 --> 00:03:54.590 for the Israelites to the Red Sea. And during 00:03:54.590 --> 00:03:58.129 their wanderings for 40 years in the wilderness, 00:04:01.259 --> 00:04:11.719 God sent them manna, signs of his presence. And 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:17.519 there were others that were just as uniquely 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:25.819 revelatory in nature. And isn't it interesting 00:04:25.819 --> 00:04:31.769 that so many of these Wonderful signs. Events. 00:04:33.250 --> 00:04:37.430 And other occurrences. That God made possible. 00:04:38.810 --> 00:04:44.410 Were either forgotten. By the people. Or overlooked. 00:04:51.209 --> 00:04:57.790 St. Paul tells us. In his first. Chapter to the 00:04:57.790 --> 00:05:03.490 Christians. In the epistle referred to as Hebrews. 00:05:05.009 --> 00:05:15.529 God spoke. Many times and in many ways. And through 00:05:15.529 --> 00:05:23.290 these. Efforts that God has made. There were 00:05:23.290 --> 00:05:30.459 signs. For his people. Signs of his love. And 00:05:30.459 --> 00:05:41.019 of his presence. And isn't it interesting. How 00:05:41.019 --> 00:05:44.459 the people responded to these wonderful expressions 00:05:44.459 --> 00:05:52.399 of God's love. They showed a lack of faith. And 00:05:52.399 --> 00:06:03.660 some. Even acts of disobedience. I was always 00:06:03.660 --> 00:06:09.459 amazed by the passage that when Moses came down 00:06:09.459 --> 00:06:13.079 from Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:19.180 from God, what did he see his people doing? They 00:06:19.180 --> 00:06:25.199 were worshipping idols. And Moses was so furious 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:30.100 that he threw down the two tablets and broken 00:06:30.100 --> 00:06:40.610 them, and had broken them. I suppose it's not 00:06:40.610 --> 00:06:45.930 an exaggeration to say that things haven't changed 00:06:45.930 --> 00:06:51.490 much, have they? People continue to do the same 00:06:51.490 --> 00:06:57.850 things. They are rejecting God's ways and replacing 00:06:57.850 --> 00:07:03.949 them with man's ways. And those beautiful decorations, 00:07:04.509 --> 00:07:10.430 the magnificent multicolored lights that we see 00:07:10.430 --> 00:07:15.810 everywhere, which are incidentally symbols of 00:07:15.810 --> 00:07:22.689 Christ's presence, no longer reflect the light 00:07:22.689 --> 00:07:30.290 of beauty, but rather the emptiness of celebrations. 00:07:33.449 --> 00:07:39.990 There are signs Indicating that they have forgotten 00:07:39.990 --> 00:07:50.029 why Christ came. We heard this passage many times 00:07:50.029 --> 00:07:54.189 throughout Advent and on Christmas Day. That 00:07:54.189 --> 00:07:59.250 in the fullness of time Christ came. God sent 00:07:59.250 --> 00:08:08.139 his only begotten son. Bethlehem is the ultimate 00:08:08.139 --> 00:08:15.060 and absolute final revelation of God's sign to 00:08:15.060 --> 00:08:27.439 the world. He is the true light that enlightens 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:31.139 those that seek Him. He is the one who is full 00:08:31.139 --> 00:08:35.980 of grace and truth. And you heard today, In the 00:08:35.980 --> 00:08:41.340 epistle. Those mighty words of Paul. God has 00:08:41.340 --> 00:08:49.039 visited his people. He has come to earth. So 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:55.659 that we. Can ascend to heaven. To be partakers. 00:08:56.379 --> 00:09:03.919 Of divine nature. My people. I speak of this 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:10.059 awesome. historical divine disclosure in these 00:09:10.059 --> 00:09:26.320 terms the infinite God the eternal God the holy 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:32.580 immortal and almighty God revealed his bigness 00:09:35.370 --> 00:09:42.470 In the smallness of a child. The ultimate condensation. 00:09:44.629 --> 00:09:53.129 Of humility. And when that sign was fulfilled. 00:09:53.850 --> 00:10:01.470 When it was enfleshed. By the blessed virgin. 00:10:02.690 --> 00:10:11.289 The world. And our lives have never. Have never 00:10:11.289 --> 00:10:19.330 been. Or have never remained. Or should not have 00:10:19.330 --> 00:10:28.049 remained. Like they were. The holy season of 00:10:28.049 --> 00:10:35.679 Christmas and Epiphany. Is not only a seasonal 00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:42.080 commemoration. There is a recollection. Of the 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:51.659 divine. Christ. The Messiah. Who continues. To 00:10:51.659 --> 00:10:59.320 have profound. Impact. On those. Who love him. 00:11:05.389 --> 00:11:08.129 I was surprised to read these words of St. John 00:11:08.129 --> 00:11:11.429 Chrysostom. These are the words he spoke on Christmas 00:11:11.429 --> 00:11:18.629 Day to his parish. Let everyone leave his home 00:11:18.629 --> 00:11:26.210 so that we might see the wondrous sign and the 00:11:26.210 --> 00:11:34.299 sign our Lord lying in a manger. What is our 00:11:34.299 --> 00:11:42.159 excuse if he, Christ the Savior, came down from 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:52.340 heaven for our sakes and we refuse to leave our 00:11:52.340 --> 00:11:57.919 home to worship him? That's what back in the 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:08.720 4th century and how relevant it is. I think I've 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:15.279 heard this question dozens of times. What did 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:23.960 you get for Christmas? I think a better question 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:32.440 to ask is, what did you get from Christmas? St. 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:38.000 Luke tells us, That after seeing the sign of 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:44.600 the child. What did the shepherds do? They returned 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:48.600 to their fields glorifying and praising God. 00:12:49.559 --> 00:12:58.519 For all that they had seen. Now I wanted to stop 00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:05.100 here. Because that was the end. Of my homily. 00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:20.080 But I can't. And I'll tell you why. One of my 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:23.759 neighbors said. In all sincerity. Are you going 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:28.600 to have services tomorrow? I said of course. 00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:33.789 Why? Well she says it's New Year's Eve. There'll 00:13:33.789 --> 00:13:35.850 be a lot of spirits. And I don't think they're 00:13:35.850 --> 00:13:37.970 going to be moved to. But the true spirit to 00:13:37.970 --> 00:13:43.350 be in church tomorrow. I said that's an unusual 00:13:43.350 --> 00:13:53.210 statement to make. Of course they will be. I 00:13:53.210 --> 00:13:59.610 want to say that today. On this first day of 00:13:59.610 --> 00:14:04.000 the new year. God has given to each of us a sign. 00:14:09.980 --> 00:14:16.299 He has blessed us with life. Blessed us with 00:14:16.299 --> 00:14:25.019 another opportunity. To follow him. The light 00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:34.450 of the world. There are many signs, my dear people, 00:14:34.509 --> 00:14:48.009 leading to eternal life. And these signs are 00:14:48.009 --> 00:14:55.730 at every crossroad, major crossroad. And as we 00:14:55.730 --> 00:15:02.519 look to the future, The road to eternal life 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:19.200 is clearly marked. Follow me. Said Jesus. And 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:27.200 you'll never walk in darkness. Never. But you 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:31.970 will have the light. Amen.