Conne River Newfoundland
Isaiah 25:6-9
Psalm 23
Matthew 15:29-39
Today I find myself lingering with Isaiah’s image of a shroud that is cast over all peoples. In our time there are many shrouds—poverty, civil unrest, fears associated with gang violence, regimes where women have no rights, wars that drag on and on and the overwhelming grief over the ruthless slaughter of so many. Then there is climate change. Like a great shroud it covers the entire earth. No part of our world is unaffected.
We long for a time when all these shrouds will not only be lifted but utterly destroyed. The captivity they represent will be shredded and all people will know deliverance and enjoy their freedoms as children of God.
Isaiah speaks of the Lord for whom we wait. Waiting is not easy. In fact, it can be very hard. When will the Lord act? When will it be that all peoples will be able to rejoice in his salvation. When? When? When? It’s very much a question of our time.
As people of faith, we wait not only in silence, but with Advent hope for the God who cares for all, feeds the multitudes and heals the broken hearted.
“O Branch of Jesse, standing as a sign among the nations, all kings shall keep silence before you and all people will summon you to their aid: Come, set us free and delay no more. Lord Jesus, come soon.” (BAS, pg. 119)
– Lynne Samways-Hiltz
