5 December 2010 - Second Sunday of Advent

Our next "stop" on the Advent pilgrimage brings us to another vision of Isaiah the prophet--this one about the future figure that would come to be called "the Messiah." Isaiah lived before there was any talk about a Messiah. He just longed for a king that was good, just, and a peacemaker. The fact that he felt his "vision" would only come true a long time in the future tells us a lot about his experience of politics in his day!! But, it may be that THAT is the "hidden point" that the Holy Spirit was trying to teach when this "inspired vision" was given to the prophet. It may be that politics will ALWAYS be politics and leaders will ALWAYS have feet of clay--whether they are political leaders or religious leaders. Maybe what the Spirit wanted us to realize is that it is only when WE care for the poor, only when WE study the "law of the Lord" so that we know it so well that we live it as a matter of course, only when WE shun gossip, and only when WE  stop favoritism in our own dealings, and only when WE make peace that peace will come. That is what John the Baptist meant, I think, when he said, "Produce good fruit!" The age of peace may be bigger than any of us, and no one of us can initiate it, but each one of us needs to live it, so why wait? Such a life is the best preparation for the celebration of the anniversary of the One we believe DID initiate us on the path.