“CHRIST THE SIGN—THE SOURCE OF SALVATION”
Saint Luke 21: 25-36
Populus Zion: 4 December Anno Domini 2016
Father Jay Watson SSP
When Christ The Word speaks, it is! The word “shall” echoing from the mouth of The God/Man means shall! The same false-teaching sectarian protestants that pick and choose what words of Jesus to believe and what words to disbelieve are just not gifted by The Spirit to use ministerial reason to understand the basic difference between symbolic and real, figurative and literal. And they can’t live like the Church does it a tension and paradox of sometimes having the words doing both—showing the present, predicting the future, illustrating the present—both literally and figuratively.
On Jordan’s banks the Baptist cries. But John is not here in body only when you commune horizontally with him at the Mass. John spoke the prophetic word that “The Lord is nigh” and today his successors in all parishes of the true Church Catholic also speak those same words that The Word is present. “Take eat This IS, take drink This IS.”
There is a sun in our solar system and it gives life to this broken planet. There have been solar eclipses, sun-spots, and other phenomenon from its creation, and they will continue until it is snuffed out like a wick. Your astronomical “blood moons” and other interesting lunar conditions will also, as they always have will continue apace. But the point is that the moon reflects the suns light to earth…and that light gives life. The stars, that is, meteorites entering earth’s atmosphere fall—travel in descending arcs and burn with a bright and spine-tingling awesomeness. Nature gives testimony to The Lord’s existence writes the Spirit at the pen of St. Paul.
The “distress of nations, waves roaring, men’s hearts failing them for fear” …if you think that these signs are ONLY for the Eschaton, the end of the world, then you know no history—secular or Biblical. Talk to someone who lived through Vesuvius, Krakatoa, the 1917 flu epidemic, The sacking and burning—The Fall—of Rome, the 1921 Tunguska event, Chernobyl, Fukushima and the tsunami that spawned it, the Gulags, the Nazi death camps, Dresden, your own child dying in your arms…and Abel bleeding into the ground after his brains had been smashed in. Thus, sin does and will always do. Thus, sinners hate God and hate their neighbors…and the earth itself groans in eager anticipation of Christ’s Return in Judgment! What should you do? Look in the mirror—hear the Law—and repent. Cling to Christ where He may be found “for you.” And, that is ONLY here in His absolving Word of forgiveness and in His Holy Meal of peace and Catholic community.
Jesus did multiple miracles in the four Evangels which are carefully recorded. Most of them were physical healings and benefited only the recipients and their families. They were done to show then, and now, Who this Nazarene was—The Son of God—Emmanuel—in the flesh, and with us! Saint John calls these miracles “signs.” All the signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, are found ultimately and only in Christ—His person and work. God of God, light of light; the Second Adam, Mary’s son with body and blood; the Law fulfilling scapegoat who obeyed for your disobedience, and the Calvary sacrificial Lamb Who suffered and died for your just punishment. Miracles were disbelieved, rationalized away, and ascribed to Satan back in the days of Caiaphas and in the days of December 2016. Repent. Jesus told the world there will be no sign save for the sing of Jonas. The only ensign and searchlight and mighty fortress with warm and safe banquet table is The Sign of the Cross—Christ Crucified!
The Spirit draws you to the rail, to the New Testament altar. And though the waves are roaring, here you find the still waters of rebirth and green grass of your Advent Shepherd-King.
This day, as a “type” of the Last Day, the Son of Man comes in the clouds of holy incense, prayers, and Gospel proclamation. This day The Messias comes in His precious Body and sacred Blood, i.e. with power and great glory that is as humble and meek and approachable as a Baby lying in a manger.
What are you waiting for? What more needs to happen in your life before you really mean it when you pray “come Lord Jesus?” Today is the day of salvation. Repent and believe! Thus says John the Baptist (and me) and The Lord Christ. The Word of the Lord endureth forever—that means something.
“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
Peace dear children, The Son of man now stands before you as host, server, meal, and Groom. He lifts you up to stand in “be” in Him.
In the Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost
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