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Monday of the 1st week of Advent
Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4B, 4CD-5, 6-7, 8-9
Matthew 8:5-11
Summary
Isaiah visualizes a bright and shining future for God’s people, which includes not
only a holy place atop the mountains, but a change in the people’s behavior.The
Matthew reading is an affirmative example of how the people have, in fact, come
to great humility and joy due to their faith in Jesus. Isaiah’s almost mystical
prophesies come to fruition in one of the most breathtaking reverberations of
the bible.A man with the gift of seeing prepares the world to believe in not only
a great God and a new Jerusalem, but also in a new son, Jesus, so that when it
comes to pass – even centuries later – the truth about Father and Son will be
fulfilled.
Reflection
Because the people have come so far and endured so much mayhem over the
centuries, even those who are in Isaiah’s time can rejoice to what the future will
bring. It is a message to all that God perseveres. I have an inspirational book in
which one of the pages describes a speech to England by Prime Minister Sir
Winston Churchill.The country was halfway into the gruelingWorldWar II, and
the people were weary and disheartened. He told them:“We shall go forward to-
gether.The road upward is stony.There are upon our journey dark and danger-
ous valleys through which we have to make and fight our way. But it is certain
that if we persevere – and we do persevere – we shall come through these dark
and dangerous valleys into a sunlight broader and more genial and more lasting
than mankind has ever known.”
It’s that kind of hope and faith that moves us
to a wonderful future, no matter what the
Lord has in store.We can also call out for help
along the way, and we will receive it.The cen-
turion in
Matthew is an
example of
what really
moves Jesus.
The centurion
had asked Je-