Matthew 1, 18-24 (4^th Sunday Advent, A, Follow the Divine Signs)

Focus: Follow the Divine signs.

Function: To remind hearers to follow the Divine signs—the signs from Scripture and from daily life.

1. Introduction

[Refer to different types of signs: Sign of the Cross; sign language “Jesus loves you”; parking sign (for Newman Center).]

Our lives are filled with sacred and secular signs: stop signs, exit signs, hazard signs, parking signs, etc… Signs tell us what to expect, or what to avoid. These anticipatory or cautionary symbols are like the signs that God provides us. As Christians, God leaves us Divine signs in Scripture and in daily life.

1. Divine Signs in Sacred Scripture
   1. In the reading from Isaiah, there is a textual sign in which the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying: “Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!” God wanted Ahaz to ask for a sign “without measure,” for a big “honk in” sign! Yet, Ahaz would not ask; he did not want to “tempt the Lord.” Even so, God said that Ahaz would receive a sign—the sign of Emmanuel, “God is with us.”
   2. In the reading from Romans, Paul did not ask for a sign from God, but God gave him a sign. Paul received the immense promised sign of Emmanuel, “God is with us.” God was with the Jewish people—the people of Ahaz and Paul—and with the Gentiles too. God’s sign to Paul was a reminder that all people were invited to receive the promised sign of Emmanuel, “God is with us…” Paul saw the sign of God’s grace and truth reaching out to incorporate all people—even the people that Paul had not met personally.
   3. The Book of Romans is a textual sign of God’s love reaching beyond one individual’s efforts. Paul saw the sign of God at work beyond his own missionary efforts. Paul did not establish this Christian community in Rome; someone else did. Paul had yet to visit these believers, but he had met them via the Roman-Internet… letters on velum or papyrus! We have part of these ancient “emails” or “text messages” in the form of the Book of Romans. Paul used this textual sign—the longest and, perhaps, the most famous of his writings—to encourage the young faith community to grow in grace and truth.
   4. In the reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we hear the textual sign of the Annunciation story—a story unique to the gospels of Matthew and Luke. In today’s version, Joseph received a sign from a messenger. An angel appeared in a dream and told him that Mary was carrying Emmanuel—“God is with us”—the ultimate sign that God could offer, the Sign of God-Incarnate. Joseph listened to the messenger in his dream; he followed the sign: Emmanuel, “God is with us.” All three of these textual signs of today’s readings, Isaiah, Romans and Matthew, show that God gave these ancient peoples signs of Emmanuel, of “God is with us”; God gives us signs too.
2. Divine Signs in Daily Life
   1. As with Ahaz, God gives us signs, even when we do not ask for them. God gives us signs of the Divine presence—signs that remind us that we are not alone, and that Emmanuel, “God is with us.” Although God wants us to ask and look for the signs—the big “honk in” signs, yet sometimes, we will not ask… we will not “tempt the Lord.” Even so, God says to us that we will receive a sign—the sign of Emmanuel, the sign that “God is with us.” God gives us immense signs, those beyond size and without measure.
   2. As with Paul, God gives us signs in the community of faith, even in the faith communities in distant lands—places to which we have never traveled and to people we have never met. This is, perhaps, the biggest and most powerful sign that “God is with us.” All around the world, millions and millions of Christians are gathered at this same Eucharistic feast. Can we imagine this? If… if we are fortunate, we will meet, in person, a small fraction of these Christian sisters and brothers! The sign, Emmanuel, “God is with us,” is that each and everyone of us—all those who gathered in the name of the Lord, all those from the past, including of the time of Ahaz and Paul—all those in the present all around the world—and all those in the future… those yet to be born, but who are known in the mind of God—are all signs of God’s grace and truth. All of us are signs of Emmanuel, of “God is with us.” These are powerful signs: the individual signs of God’s grace, truth and love united as one sign of God’s larger faith community—of those who have gone before us, of those with us, and of those yet to come.
   3. As with Joseph, the sign of God’s presence appears to us in our dreams and in God’s messengers. We receive the dream from many different messengers; we see the sign from God, and we do not fear to receive Mary as our Mother, and Jesus Christ as our Brother. We do not fear to act as Christians because Emmanuel, “God …is with us.”
3. Conclusion
4. God gave us the ultimate sign of grace, truth and love in the birth of Jesus Christ—of Emmanuel—of God is with us. We are preparing to celebrate this ultimate Sign-made-flesh. The ultimate sign of God’s presence among us is the person of Jesus Christ—God made flesh—God with skin on—God in human form—Emmanuel, “God is with us.”
5. Rather than just celebrating this sign that “God is with us” once a year, we celebrate it every day. Each time we gather here to celebrate this Eucharist; we celebrate this ultimate sign of Emmanuel—that “God is with us.”
6. In the Eucharist, God is with us day and night—filling us with divine grace and truth. The sign of God’s presence in our lives is joy, delight, happiness… because we are united with both the sign and reality of God’s presence with us. So just as in the time of Ahaz and Joseph, people gathered to celebrate the Passover, and just as in the time of Paul, people gathered to celebrate the Eucharist, we too gather today to celebrate the sacred meal of Emmanuel—of “God is with us.”
7. Today this sign of God’s presence gives us hope. So let us proceed with the Eucharist.

Intercessions, Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2007.

For each of us—members of the Universal Church—may we seek to proclaim in our intentions, actions, words and deeds…that Emmanuel, “God, is with us,” [pause] let us pray to the Lord.

For those who hold religious, political, or ethical power, may they be guided by the presence of Emmanuel, of “God is with us,” [pause] let us pray to the Lord.

For all Christians who gather at this same Eucharistic table, regardless of differences in social status, race, language, culture, gender, or orientation, may they all know the union that we share in the presence of Emmanuel—of “God is with us,” [pause] let us pray to the Lord.

For our faith community as we approach Christmas, may we prepare well to joyously receive Emmanuel, “God… is with us,” and so be filled with God’s grace and truth, [pause] let us pray to the Lord.

For the millions who have been injured, displaced, or killed because of war and violence, and—for those who care for them, who provide for them, or who bury and grieve for them, [pause] let us pray to the Lord.

For those who suffer from fear or skepticism, especially of or toward God, may they experience Emmanuel, that “God is with us,” during the coming season of Christmas, [pause] let us pray to the Lord.

In thanksgiving for the signs of God’s presence in our own lives and in our Church, in our communities and in all nations, [pause] let us pray to the Lord.

And for your prayers…