CONSOLE MY PEOPLE, CONSOLE THEM

II SUNDAY OF ADVENT - Isaiah 40:1-5,9-11

The season of Advent is always a time of promise and full of hope. We look forward with yearning, because the Lord is coming to establish his Kingdom of peace. The time is coming when the Lord will allow his people to find rest. Even though, he comes with power “his arm subduing all things to him”,

“He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,

gathering lambs in his arms,

holding them against his breast

and leading to their rest the mother ewes.” (Is 40:11).

We are in dear need of this shepherd - the good shepherd - who brings consolation to his people. Throughout history, humanity has gone from crises to crises; time and again, we face danger, destruction and damnation. Most of the times, we bring it upon ourselves because we deviate from the straight path to follow our crooked ways. It is as if we live in so deep darkness that we lose all hope. So many times we behave as if God has abandoned us to ourselves. We lost direction and don’t know anymore where to go. This pandemic has brought to the front our fragility and our mortality. And our pride has been shattered to pieces. That’s why more than ever we need a voice of consolation. The message must be proclaimed with a loud and joyful voice: “Here is your God.” He comes to console his people. He is Emanuel - God with us.

The Lord is coming and we must prepare ourselves to welcome him. The voice of John cries out in the wilderness and calls on all those who long for the Messiah: “Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.” Let us pull down the hills and mountains of our pride, our glory and our power and fill the ravines of our jealousy, envy and hatred to have a straight path for the Lord.

With the psalm we pray:

“Mercy and faithfulness have met;

  justice and peace have embraced.

Faithfulness shall spring from the earth

  and justice look down from heaven.” (Ps 85)