The Prince Of Peace

"From the stump of Jesse, a shoot will come forth;

from his roots a branch will grow and bear fruit.

The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him -

a Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

a Spirit of counsel and power,

a Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.

Not by appearances will he judge,

nor by what is said must he decide,

but with justice he will judge the poor

and with righteousness decide for the meek.

Like a rod, his word will strike the oppressor,

and the breath of his lips slay the wicked

Justice will be the girdle of his waist,

truth the girdle of his loins.

The wolf will dwell with the lamb,

the leopard will rest beside the kid,

the calf and the lion cub will feed together

and a little child will lead them.

Befriending each other, the cow and the bear

will see their young ones lie down together.

Like cattle, the lion will eat hay.

By the cobra's den the infant will play.

The child will put his hand into the viper's lair.

No one will harm or destroy over my holy mountain,

for as water fills the sea

the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.

On that day the 'Root of Jesse' will be raised as a signal for the nations.  The people will come in search of him, thus making his dwelling place glorious." - Isaiah 11:1-10 

(Those who have read the New Testament know that the Jews of JESUS' time were expecting a Messiah.  This, however, was not always the case.  From Abraham to David, the Israelites were looking for the land promised by GOD and they conquered it.  After David, they thought that a better king could not be found and, during the two and a half centuries that followed, they hoped only that their present and future kings would resemble David.  The very promise that GOD made to David about his descendants was not understood as the announcement of a future Messiah.

Isaiah was the first to announce the Messiah, namely, a king like David but better.  Here HE is presented as a shoot coming from the stump, once the tree has been felled.  Thus, he suggests that the present kings, who are sinners and without much faith, will disappear.  More than a descendant of David, Emmanuel will be a new David [HE is called son of Jesse like David].

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on HIM as it did on the prophets and more so.  The prophets were inspired by a mysterious power called 'Spirit of GOD,' but not at all times.  In HIM, the Spirit would dwell always:

      - a spirit of wisdom and intelligence, as Solomon had;

      - a spirit of prudence and strength, like David's;

      - a spirit of knowledge and respect for the LORD, as Moses and the Patriarchs had.

The renewal of GOD's people will be manifested in nature:  the lion will eat hay.  To put this in modern terms:  thanks to technology and a greater cooperation between people, nature's hostile forces will be placed at the service of humankind.

Beginning with Isaiah, the prophets will see the Messiah, or the future king anointed by GOD, as a man of the Spirit.  When the Spirit of GOD is conferred on believers through the sacrament of confirmation, the Church recalls the Spirit of wisdom, intelligence, strength, etc.)  

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The Coming Prosperity

"O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.  When you cry, HE will listen; when HE hears, HE will answer. 

When the LORD has given you the bread of anguish and the water of distress, HE, your teacher will hide no longer.  Your own eyes will see HIM, and your ear will listen to HIS words behind you:  'This is the way, walk in it.' 

HE will then give rain for the seed you sow and make the harvest abundant from the crops you grow.  On that day your cattle will graze in wide pastures. Your beasts of burden will eat silage tossed to them with pitchfork and shovel. 

For on the day of the great slaughter, when fortresses fall, streams of water will flow on every mountain and lofty hill. 

The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven times greater, like the light of seven days, when YAHWEH binds up the wounds of HIS people and heals the bruises inflicted by HIS blows." - Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 

(GOD loves us and teaches us.  This poem speaks of all the marvels to be discovered when meeting GOD through tears.

You will see the uncleanliness of your idols.  People have become aware that they were serving false gods.  Idolatry does not only mean keeping carved gods, but more trusting people, serving institutions and envying the things that these images represent.)

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Triumphant Trust In GOD

 "YAHWEH is my light and my salvation

--whom shall I fear?

YAHWEH is the rampart of my life;

I will not be afraid.

Hear my voice when I call, O YAHWEH,

have mercy on me and answer.

My heart says to YOU,

'I seek YOUR face, O YAHWEH.'

Do not hide YOUR face from me

nor turn away YOUR servant in anger.

YOU are my protector, do not reject me;

abandon me not, O GOD my savior!

I hope I am sure,

that I will see the goodness of YAHWEH

in the land of the living.

Trust in YAHWEH, be strong and courageous

yes, put your hope in YAHWEH!"

- Psalm 27:1. 7-8. 8-9. 13-14

(The anonymous voice of the last verse proposes and ratifies courage rather than fear; hope rather than discouragement.  This is true too for the Christian; before danger, there is a word of encouragement, for instance in John 16:33 and Matthew 14:26.  Here is a beautiful prayer to cultivate the absolute trust of the believer in GOD.)

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Wise And Foolish Builders

"Not everyone who says to ME, 'LORD!  LORD!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of MY heavenly FATHER.

'Therefore, anyone who hears these words of MINE, and acts according to them, is like a wise man, who built his house on rock.  The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house.  But it did not collapse, because it was built on rock.  But anyone who hears these words of MINE, and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand.  The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible collapse that was!'" - Matthew 7:21. 24-27 

(Anyone who hears these words of MINE.  JESUS means those who listen to HIS words and are converted: they believe themselves already saved.  If they do not use their initial enthusiasm to build their lives on solid foundations, such as scriptural meditation, generosity, resistance to evil inclinations, sharing in the Christian community--then everything will tumble down later.)

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Second Miracle Of The Loaves

"From there JESUS went to the shore of Lake Galilee, and then went up into the hills where HE sat down.  Great crowds came to HIM, bringing the dumb, the blind, the lame, the crippled, and many with other infirmities.  The people carried them to the feet of JESUS, and HE healed them.  All were astonished when they saw the dumb speaking, the lame walking, the crippled healed and the blind able to see; so they glorified the GOD of Israel.

JESUS called HIS disciples and said to them, 'I AM filled with compassion for these people; they have already followed ME for three days and now have nothing to eat.  I do not want to send them away fasting, or they may faint on the way.'  HIS disciples said to HIM, 'And where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed such a crowd?'  JESUS said to them, 'How many loaves do you have?'  They answered, 'Seven, and a few small fish.'

So JESUS ordered the people to sit on the ground.  Then HE took the seven loaves and the small fish and gave thanks to GOD.  HE broke them and gave them to HIS disciples, who distributed them to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied, and the leftover broken pieces filled seven wicker baskets. - Matthew 15:29-37 

(On two occasions JESUS multiplied bread.  It is one of HIS miracles that most impresses us.

The word "miracle" is often devalued.  The Bible uses different words to denote what clearly appears as an act of GOD: sign, wonder, work of power.  Miracle in its full meaning is all that at the same time: a sign by which GOD makes us discover HIS will or the invisible order of the world, a wonder that disconcerts our limited vision, a work which GOD alone is capable of doing.

The multiplication of loaves is the kind of miracle which most shocks our contemporaries and their absolute faith in the "laws of nature" that GOD HIMSELF would not have the power to surpass, or which HE could not ignore without contradicting HIMSELF.  Many do not openly deny the testimony of the apostles, but they avoid taking any stand and say for example: "The miracle is still more beautiful if we imagine that JESUS merely invited the people to share their individual snacks, so that finally there was enough for everyone: a miracle of solidarity!"

Here the Gospel is not praising solidarity: it wishes rather to celebrate the absolute freedom of GOD and of CHRIST: nature itself must be silent, because here the dead are raised to life.  For a Christian, creation is not a huge machine that GOD has passed on to people as HE abdicated; it is a reflection of GOD where the laws - shadows of the wisdom, the order and the justice that are in GOD - never exclude HIS freedom.

Throughout all Christian history the LORD has multiplied and continues to multiply bread, items of food and even canned food for those who have given everything or risked all for HIM: many are able to witness to this.)

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The Prince Of Peace

"From the stump of Jesse, a shoot will come forth;

from his roots a branch will grow and bear fruit.

The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him -

a Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

a Spirit of counsel and power,

a Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.

Not by appearances will he judge,

nor by what is said must he decide,

but with justice he will judge the poor

and with righteousness decide for the meek.

Like a rod, his word will strike the oppressor,

and the breath of his lips slay the wicked

Justice will be the girdle of his waist,

truth the girdle of his loins.

The wolf will dwell with the lamb,

the leopard will rest beside the kid,

the calf and the lion cub will feed together

and a little child will lead them.

Befriending each other, the cow and the bear

will see their young ones lie down together.

Like cattle, the lion will eat hay.

By the cobra's den the infant will play.

The child will put his hand into the viper's lair.

No one will harm or destroy over my holy mountain,

for as water fills the sea

the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.

On that day the 'Root of Jesse' will be raised as a signal for the nations.  The people will come in search of him, thus making his dwelling place glorious." - Isaiah 11:1-10

(Those who have read the New Testament know that the Jews of JESUS' time were expecting a Messiah.  This, however, was not always the case.  From Abraham to David, the Israelites were looking for the land promised by GOD and they conquered it.  After David, they thought that a better king could not be found and, during the two and a half centuries that followed, they hoped only that their present and future kings would resemble David.  The very promise that GOD made to David about his descendants was not understood as the announcement of a future Messiah.

Isaiah was the first to announce the Messiah, namely, a king like David but better.  Here HE is presented as a shoot coming from the stump, once the tree has been felled.  Thus, he suggests that the present kings, who are sinners and without much faith, will disappear.  More than a descendant of David, Emmanuel will be a new David [HE is called son of Jesse like David].

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on HIM as it did on the prophets and more so.  The prophets were inspired by a mysterious power called 'Spirit of GOD,' but not at all times.  In HIM, the Spirit would dwell always:

      - a spirit of wisdom and intelligence, as Solomon had;

      - a spirit of prudence and strength, like David's;

      - a spirit of knowledge and respect for the LORD, as Moses and the Patriarchs had.

The renewal of GOD's people will be manifested in nature:  the lion will eat hay.  To put this in modern terms:  thanks to technology and a greater cooperation between people, nature's hostile forces will be placed at the service of humankind.

Beginning with Isaiah, the prophets will see the Messiah, or the future king anointed by GOD, as a man of the Spirit.  When the Spirit of GOD is conferred on believers through the sacrament of confirmation, the Church recalls the Spirit of wisdom, intelligence, strength, etc.)  

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