Readings:
Isaiah 40:1-11
Matthew 18:12-14
Reflection:
A mixture of thoughts on our first reading from Isaiah: where would our liturgy be without his poetry?
On Christmas midnight -“The people that live in the darkness, have seen a great light, on those who walk in the shadow of death a light has shone…”.
On Good Friday- heartbreaking Servant Song: “As the crowds were appalled at seeing him, so disfigured did he look, so will the people be astonished at him and kings stand speechless before him.”
Today, we have that wonderfully uplifting passage where God speaks to a people crushed, exiled and living in slavery, people for whom it was too painful to even remember home, a home lost forever, so they thought: “‘Console, my people, console them’ says your God …….Shout aloud, shout without fear: ‘Jerusalem, here is your God.’’’
Many of us have listened often, especially at Christmas, the profoundly moving “Messiah” of Handel. At its heart is not the well-known “Hallelujah Chorus”, but this beautiful passage: ‘Comfort ye, my people.. ”. The man who chose the passages for “the Messiah” was a broken man whose beloved brother had died tragically. Jennings chose the passages he felt he could no longer believe in. Out of his own despair and darkness, he helped give beauty, hope and consolation to countless of us in our struggles.
Read the whole passage, or just listen and allow the comfort to find a home in your heart.
https://youtu.be/fItdpISCThA?feature=shared.
Fr.Tom McDonough CP is the parish priest and community leader of St.Paul’s Glen Osmond, SA.