Installment Seventy-ninth
The Thirty-Sixth Clarion: SIGNS OF GOD'S MERCY AND JUSTICE
part four: "Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate
and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who
enter that way. How narrow the gate and close the way that leads to life!
And few there are who find it."Matthew 7: 13-14
We have the SIGNS of the Church, the Sacraments, the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass, the liturgical seasons, Sacred Scripture, and the rich Deposit of
Faith to focus on, rather than the material signs of this world.
Sacraments are "outward signs" instituted by Christ; the Holy Sacrifice of
the Mass is a sign of Jesus' ultimate love for us in the unbloody sacrifice
of His Body and Blood for our salvation; the Word of God is a continuing
sign of His love and law that confirms we are His children and, as members
of the family of God, must be obedient to the Father in all things…not just
those we choose. Even the liturgical seasons are a sign. Just as spring
ushers in the flowers and the sound of "Play Ball" so also the fall season,
is embodied in gentle waves fluttering to earth of falling leaves of every
color while the thud of pigskin and the refrain tolls: "Are you ready for
some football?" in symphony with the marching bands echoing across the land
highlights autumn time. The melodic refrain of Alleluia! signals the time
of Easter season and white vestments while the purple chasuble and stole
indicate a time of fasting preparation and retrospection for Lent and
Advent; red vestments revere those saints who have died to the world for
Christ and literally given their lives while traveling the narrow and
difficult path; and the green garments of Ordinary Time reflect God's
graces of lush green grass in the height of the summer. These are all
signs in our Church that we often take for granted. Fr. John Hardon, SJ
explains that, "The whole of the Church liturgy is built on the function of
word, action and object signs as symbols of the sacred." Sign is derived
from the Latin signum meaning mark, sign, or characteristic of the
Sacraments that make them sacred and holy, conferring the grace they
manifest. When we cross ourselves in honoring the Blessed Trinity, we
don't call it "the Cross" but rather the "Sign of the Cross". Sign is
derived from the Latin signum meaning mark, sign, or characteristic. It is
the sacred characteristic of the Sacraments that make them sacred and holy,
conferring the grace they manifest. When we cross ourselves in honoring
the Blessed Trinity we don't call it "the Cross" but rather the "Sign of
the Cross" for it is an expression, an outward sign to all of our faith,
our belief in the One, True, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith.
All of these special signs are there for a reason for God plans nothing
without a method. And His methods are mysterious in many ways such as in
conveying His Will through His Blessed Mother to "children" everywhere whom
He has chosen as special messengers - those prophets of the end times
spoken of in Joel 2:28 and the Acts of the Apostles 2:17 which Peter
addressed immediately after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost
Sunday. Yet, with the plethora of messages abounding globally from
approved apparitions such as LaSalette and Fatima, to those still being
studied by the Church, it is astounding that the world is worse off than it
ever was. Take a look around. On any given Sunday, are the pews in the
Church full of devout faithful pouring out their hearts to God? A few,
yes, for the fruits are there, but the harvest is great but not all are
reaping the fruits of the harvest distracted, if you will, by the lures of
other activities that take us further off the direct avenue to God, such
things as movie houses are packed, concerts blare at a hideous pitch,
football stadiums and the and the life of a "couch potato" becomes the
mecca for sabbath activities. Family time is at a premium. When, then,
does the family come together to pray? When is there time for Jesus in the
Blessed Sacrament? Fr. Patrick Payton, C.S.C. the devoted priest who
headed the Family Rosary Crusade and who had a great devotion to Our Lady
of Fatima, striving to fulfill all Mary asked there, is best remembered for
his wise proverb: "the family that prays together, stays together."
From the state of things today in our families, in the state of a nation
that plays down the traditional God-fearing family in favor of an
existential extended family that includes same-sex marriages and other
illicit conduct as equal in importance, no wonder there is so much divorce,
so much hate, so much prevision, so much suicide and despair. Hope has
been thrown out the window because man has placed his bet on finite things
governed by finite beings. O what mortal fools we be! Without a doubt
we've brought this all on ourselves by not adhering to God's signs
manifested through Public Revelation and through private revelation. Yes,
private revelations, which are given specifically as SIGNS - signs to guide
us along the narrow highway to Heaven. They are nothing more than that for
all that God has spoken is contained in Public Revelation. Anything after
that is considered private revelation, which includes devotions, novenas,
prayers, etc. from Zaragosa to Medjugorje and beyond. There is nothing new
in private revelation, but rather a reminder, an emphasis on those aspects
of Public Revelation we may have forgotten. God is therefore reminding us
in a special way through the gift of private revelation, which He
communicates to us through His chosen messengers.
In the next installment we will feature the Signs evident through private revelation - Signs we can't ignore.
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