In Isaiah's words today hear the excitement of the prophet's message about an awesome God doing so much for his people. But do not miss the same God's twice-said remark, "I will help you."
As we work through days of Advent Waiting, who could be totally focused upon the things of spiritual preparation for a celebration of Jesus' birthday? The realities, the pain-filled experiences many are enduring in our world and our nation distract us easily and necessarily so.
Well might we see many of the challenges today as God's way of engineering a new environment that will bring us back or closer to our God. It is a "transformation" that is taking place. It is a change that is bring "a desert into a marshland and the dry ground into springs of water." But our God will not bring this about without our collaboration. Twice in the readings, as noted, God speaks, through the prophet, these words: "I will help you. Fear not." He will not do it alone. He wants us to be part of the transformation so that it will be a genuine metanoia.
I believe many of our friends, fellow citizens and maybe we ourselves are suffering from changes in an economic revolution. The 1960's may have had a social revolution. The revolution of these times impacts the wallet and purse. Our venue had become so much an experience of having more and more. Greed was sprouting up in our land. Now it is wilting away; it is dying. And, at the same time, we know that our God had become less and less and reality in so many lives and ways of living.
Yes, like the Israelites of years past, we may be wandering through a desert of purification. Be we should not forget Isaiah again: "I am the Lord, your God, who grasps your right hand. It is I who says to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'"
This is the expectation of Advent: waiting for ourselves to recognize and to accept our need to be open to God's voice to each of us in our times.
The Lord is gracious and merciful ... and of great kindness.
