A Sacred Sign

Dear Friend,

When we gather as a parish community for Sunday liturgy we create something new, together, through the grace of God. With words and music, shared silence and bodily gesture, we create a sacred drama that makes our faith real, our baptism new. 

This Sunday we hear the prophet Isaiah invite a king to ask God for a sign of divine assurance and support. Political and military threat loom large, but the king's refusal to ask for a sign is understandable ("Thou shalt not put the Lord your God to the test."). Yet Isaiah counters his refusal with the assertion that a sign will, nonetheless, be given, a sign of new life, a child to be named "Emmanual" (meaning in Hebrew: God is with us).  

The Gospel points us to the birth of Jesus, this year through the experience of Joseph. In contrast to Luke's account, Matthew has an angel visit Joseph, not Mary. Like Mary, though, Joseph follows the direction of the angel and takes his role in the sacred drama of the holy birth, the Word made flesh.

When we gather each Sunday, we don't ask God for a sign; rather, we ask to be made a sign. In a world full of political, social, and religious upheaval and violence, God comes to us, as He once did to Mary and Joseph. His word comes to us not from an angel, but from the mouths of lectors. The word humbly enters a sound system and out again, into our ears. As Francis says, the King comes down from a royal throne into our hands and places himself in our hands as bread. We are sent into the world like Mary and Joseph, as a sacred sign that gives life! 

Gratefully,

Father Dan