A homily-paper submitted in my Grace class, using themes on Grace, Incarnation, and Divinization. This was based on the homily originally delivered in Filipino on the fifth day of Misa de Gallo at Santo Cristo de Las Pinas Parish.
Signs. Signs play a major role in our daily lives. Signs may be objects, qualities, or events whose presence or occurrence indicates something other than itself. Signs may convey information or give instructions, like traffic signs that tell us when to stop and go, or gestures like a hug or a kiss that show endearment and care. Signs may also be manifestations of what is happening or what is going to happen, like dark clouds that send feelers of strong rains or Christmas songs and decors that already point to Christmas day.
But for us Filipinos, signs take another meaning. We ask for signs in moments when we are uncertain or unsure of what is bound to happen. In making decisions, we seek for a sign that would help us make sense of what should we do or choose. Sometimes, these signs may also accompany hints of superstitious beliefs in us. When we wear our favorite shirt, it may be a sign that we will have a good day ahead. When our palms feel itchy, it may be a sign that we will soon have money. Indeed, signs point to things other than themselves, and most of the time they are subject to a variety of meanings and interpretations.
Signs are powerful bearers of messages, and sometimes these signs may not necessarily point to what we normally expect. Signs can at times be confusing, and more often than not, misleading. A kiss that is traditionally used to express love and affection was once used to betray Jesus Christ. Five days before Christmas, we look at the signs leading to perhaps the happiest day of the year. Recently, Mother Nature brought signs of destruction through Typhoon Sendong, which gravely affected our brothers and sisters in Northern Mindanao and Southern Visayas. Water, considered a symbol of life, killed people and damaged property in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Dumaguete, and other cities down south. Moreover, there is still much turmoil and misunderstanding in the government and among countries as seen, heard, and read in the news. Looking at these, it seems to us that the signs pointing to Christmas are not so bright. Christmas, the time of the year when people are merry and joyful, is cast with the shadow of calamity and confusion.
Our readings for our Misa de Gallo today speak of signs and what they point to or the meaning that they convey. In our first reading, we heard the Lord speaking to King Ahaz, telling him to ask for a sign from Him yet he refused to do so. Looking into the story, King Ahaz was thinking of seeking the help of foreign nations as his own kingdom was under threat of war. The Lord sent Isaiah to encourage Ahaz and his kingdom to trust in Him and not in political alliances that may lead the people to believe in other gods and thus destroy their relationship with the Lord. Yet despite Ahaz’s refusal to ask for a sign, the Lord Himself gave him a sign: “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” This sign found fulfillment in our gospel reading, where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive in her womb and bear a son despite being a virgin. And this son, who shall be named Jesus, “will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Signs. God gives us signs and symbols in our lives, signs that assure us of His guidance, protection, and love. Jesus Christ, the Emmanuel—“God-with-us”—is more than just a sign that God bestows upon us to give joy to the world and save us from sin. God, as almighty and powerful as He is, is totally in love with us that He wants to be near us and be one of us. Through His only begotten Son, He scattered the darkness of the world and gave us light that would lead us back to Him. He endured the rejection of the people and the agony of the cross to save us and be united with Him. He came not to take away the sorrows and pains of humanity in an instant; rather, He came to journey and walk with us through our hopes and fears, our joys and anxieties, so that we may come to share in His divine life. That is the reason why we celebrate Christmas: we thank the Father for the gift of His Son, who became man for us to be united with Him and to receive His divine life.
Christmas is the a time of the year when we reflect on this marvelous grace of God in the person of His Son, who by His coming as man, wills that we partake and share in His life as a son of God. Out of His fidelity and generosity, He chose to remain and dwell with us through His Son. By being one with us in all things but sin, He gave us so may gifts: light to cast away our blindness, cup of salvation to quench our thirst, the bread of life to fill our hunger, nourishment to cure our sickness, hope to awaken our despairing soul, forgiveness to heal the wounds of sin and division, and love to vanquish the pain and hatred in our midst.
Yet God did not only give us these gifts for our own benefit. Rather, He even gave us His only Son, the greatest gift we will receive this Christmas, so that these gifts may fully be with us and within us. Sharing in God’s divine life means being more Christ-like: we become more caring, more merciful, more compassionate, and more loving like Him. In effect, we are to share the gift of Christ with others, especially those who are considered “the least, the last, and the lost” in our community.
Come to think of it, who are we to deserve this wonderful gift of God? In our weakness and sinfulness, we are far from deserving this marvelous grace. But this is something freely given by God out of His steadfast love and overflowing generosity. God loves us not because we are lovable, but it is this love of God for us that makes Him love us all the more. Indeed, even if we our unfaithful, God remains faithful to us!
And so, our attitude to this wonderful gift of God is thanksgiving and generosity: we thank Him for making us share in His life through His Son, and in return, we express this gratitude by giving and sharing this gift to others and letting them experience God’s loving presence through us. Christmas is thus a grace-filled moment to be concrete signs and reminders of God’s presence and love especially to those who have yet to experience His love.
Emmanuel: God is with us! Our readings for this fifth day of our Misa de Gallo post a challenge to all of us to be signs and instruments of God’s presence and love in these times of calamities, suffering, and confusion. We, who have received tremendous blessings and graces this year, are called to count our blessings and be a blessing to others. We, who have been fortunate to be spared from all the hardships of natural and man-made calamities, are called to let the presence of God be felt by our brothers and sisters who have been gravely affected by them. Yes, there may be the signs of the times that we have to respond to, but there are more pressing signs where we can be also be instruments of change and love. Perhaps we need not to look too far in order to be “God-with-us” to others. We can be concrete signs of God’s love to our families, to our fellow workmates, to our neighborhood, and to our parish community through our life-giving presence and positive example to them. We can make God’s grace work in us by settling conflicts, fixing broken relationships, and bridging gaps that we may have caused or created in the past. By making God’s grace work within us, we become more Christ-like and in turn make lead others to share in His divine life as well.
As we continue with our celebration of the Holy Eucharist, let us beg for the grace of generosity and graciousness, that we may be generous and gracious just as the Father has been generous and gracious to us. We also thank the Lord for His loving mercy and kindness to us throughout the year, for remaining with us despite the times we choose to refuse to accept His love. We pray in a special way for those who need God’s grace the most: those rendered homeless by natural calamities, those suffering due to armed conflict and wars, those whose Christmas may not be as bright as ours. May our commemoration of His birth help us to similarly prepare our hearts to be God’s dwelling place so that peace and love may reign in this world of ours. May the spirit of Christmas, of God becoming one with us, make us grown in His grace and lead us to see Him more clearly, love Him more dearly, and follow Him more nearly. Amen.
