We live and move and have our being in a world of soundbites and bytes,
visual flashes and signs of every kind - both virtual and virtueless. They
bombard our senses day-in and day-out into a senseless order of disorder.
And in this cacophony of clutter it eventually takes its toll, our minds
become saturated with information and numbers that overwhelm us into a
passive Pavlov-syndrome submission. And with our mental faculties
bordering on meltdown, it becomes too easy to miss the signs that come from
Heaven, so overshadowed by the signs of this world. That, in turn, makes
all of us more vulnerable to misread the celestial signs and even more
liable to ignore them.
In this special series on Signs, we focus our attention on the signs God has given and
continues to give to the world. These signs, graphically depicted as road
signs, are as real as those that mark our highways and byways, that
navigate us through the duties of our daily activities and
responsibilities. These signs are so much a part of our travels that we
take them from granted, though we are so very conscious of them. We depend
upon them to get us to our destination and to get us there alive if we but
obey the laws, which govern these signs. But we have to have trust that
the "other guy" will adhere to the same rules, the same courtesy, the same
precautions that we take. It takes cooperation.
It takes trust and cooperation to observe the signs that are governed by
the Greatest Lawgiver of all - Almighty God. His signs are as real,
intensely more authentic than anything man could ever manufacture.
Unfortunately, we are so bogged down with the mental muddle of trying to
swim upstream in a stress-filled cesspool of high tech megamishmash that we
overlook God's signs, focusing all our attention on the moment…on getting
from point A to B.
There's a time to STOP and then there's a time to put the pedal to the
metal, so to speak. In the spiritual life, it's the same. We must never
STOP in our journey toward God. We have to keep moving lest we YIELD to
temptation, to the worldly pressures that assault each and every one of us.
We must, through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Sacraments, and
obedience to all Holy Mother Church teaches, ENTER upon the straight and
narrow road of Salvation, and make sure, through God's grace, that we don't
take the wrong EXIT at the first allure of worldly pleasure. Neither can
we MERGE in an attempt to get into a smoother flow. Like the tollway of
life, we must pay the toll and then we must stay the course, no matter how
bumpy the road might get or how long it stretches. There are other times
when the road to Heaven resembles anything but a super highway, more like a
backroad full of potholes, unexpected curves, numerous detours and the
like. As we plod along this path we notice with peripheral vision the many
who slip through God's DO NOT ENTER sign and cut onto the turnpike without
paying, zipping along at excess speed seeking maximum pleasure with little
regard for others. Just as we're about to follow suit, we catch a glimpse
of the CAUTION sign. This indicates the possibility of danger lies ahead.
There are so many DANGER signs today. Apathy is perhaps one of the
greatest ones. Confusion comes in a close second. Perhaps the two go hand
in hand. If we are confused at God's Will, then it's easy to become
apathetic about doing anything for Him with Him, and through Him.
Take for example, the last two presidential elections. In both Clinton campaigns it
was a matter of the lesser of two evils. Unfortunately with the electoral system,
our country has, we voted for the greater of two evils both times and we're paying
dearly for it today. Apathy and confusion contributed to this possibility. Take a
serious look at what God is saying and showing through His signs, and then see
what "man" is truly proposing and you'll see the chasm between the Infinite and finite.
Looking back we can't say we didn't warn you. We cautioned all that WHO they voted
for would be dangerous to their spiritual health as well as
the welfare of all mankind!
Nevermind the economy. Remember, you can't take it with you. Character, values and
virtue do count. Following God's laws and treating our fellow man in the spirit of love as
Jesus asks does count. Our Lord said it best in
Matthew 7: 18-20 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good
fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Therefore, by their fruits you will know them." The signs of the bad fruit are
evident in this administration and the fruit is rotten to the core. It is in danger of being
cut down soon and thrown into the fire. Yes, Justice will out. Clinton and his administration
have brought forth no good fruit because they can't. And like bad fruit it has spread to others,
spoiling many and has soured a nation thanks to the feeding frenzy of the media and the
insatiable insipid and sordid appetite of the public.
The signs were there from the
beginning but the majority of Americans refused to recognize them or doubted, placing
their faith in a finite being rather than an Infinite Being. They considered all the pleas
of "character counts" as just so much rhetoric and turned their backs on values and virtues.
Following the trend throughout history and Sacred Scripture, they turned their backs on God
and sought their own agenda. In a word, they got what they deserved for they neglected
the warning signs and ended up with a NO OUTLET sign. Now in that cul de sac of frustration,
their only hope is to reverse themselves and back out, hoping to find the main road back to
God. It's available, but they must follow the signs that are clearly posted.
In the next installment we will study how satan uses the abortion debate as his tool as
we continue our treatment of Signs.