“There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord.”
Isaiah 11:9
The lion resting with the lamb… the leopard reclining with the kid. These are just two of the traditional images of Christmas that convey our message of peace and good will.
The birth of the Christ Child is nothing less than the transformational event of our lives. We call the Infant Jesus our Savior and Prince of Peace because God is asking us to become messengers of peace, too. Are you ready to transform your world with the gift of peace?
We become peacemakers by accepting the grace we received at Baptism and sharing it with a generous heart. So these are my thoughts for the second week of Advent: Do all you can to care for God’s gift of Creation… for the people who enrich your life… for the faith that sustains you… and for the possibility of peace and reconciliation that we see in the Christ Child.
Friend, I look forward to a world in which the lion and the lamb lay down together. Where relationships are at peace. Where the gift of Creation is cared for and ready to be passed on to the next generation of caregivers. More than anything, Advent is the time we prepare ourselves to receive the promise of salvation. We know it’s within our grasp because God gave us the Christ Child.
Prayer for 2nd Sunday of Advent
On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him;
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
a spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord,
and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
but he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord.
Isaiah 11:1 through 10
I hope today’s reflection has special meaning for you. This is Father Ray Finch, sending you a blessing for the week, and an invitation to listen in again next Sunday.
