Isaiah 54:1-10. These are important verses for anyone who has even experienced the need for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Read these verses two, three or four times. In encourage you to find these verses on the Internet and print them before you read them. As you go through these verses the second time, underline the verses that seem to have meaning for you. On the third read, slowly read the underlines verses only. The following are the verse that have given me a charged and renewed faith.
The shame of your youth you shall forget,
the reproach of your widowhood no longer remember. (v4)
The Lord calls you back
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, (v6)
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great tenderness I will take you back. (v7)
So I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you,
My love shall never leave you.
nor my covenant of peace be shaken. (v10)
These words leave me completely overwhelmed, especially when I afford them complete attention and an open heart. Most especially these words do bring about a realization that a genuine relationship with the Lord God is built upon my awareness of needed dependence upon the abundant love of the Lord God. How remarkable God's desire to bring about a loving relationship between himself and me, a sinner. And surely I suspect you may feel the very same after you fead the verses that mean much to you. That done you may then experience Christmas as never before!
