The Prophet Isaiah, speaking for waiting generations, invites us to the season of Advent. Listen to him during this first week. Almost half of our Advent lectionary readings from the Jewish scriptures come from him.

All nations will come to God’s mountain for instruction, he says: “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” Wars will be over; all will be one. Salvation will come, not just for some, but for all. All nations, all creatures, all creation is called. ( Isaiah 2:1-5 ) We read Isaiah’s message every Monday in Advent at morning prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours.

It’s a message we hope for, though seemingly unattainable, broken and fragmented as our world is today. But our hope rests in God and not in ourselves.

For Isaiah, the mountain of the Lord, where the Jewish temple stood in Jerusalem, was a place of revelation. Listen to his words this week: All nations will banquet on that mountain (Monday). On this rock people dwell in safety, children play around a cobra’s den, and the lion and the lamb lie down together. (Tuesday) There the poor triumph (Thursday), the blind will see (Friday). The Teacher will guide all there.(Saturday) Isaiah’s imagery embraces all creation in the readings for the 1st week of Advent.

This first week’s gospels point to the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies in Jesus Christ. The Roman centurion humbly approaching Jesus in Capernaum (Monday) represents all the nations that will come to him. Jesus feeds a multitude on the mountain.(Wednesday) He affirms that his kingdom will be built on rock.(Thursday) He gives sight to blind men. (Friday) He sends his disciples to call the lost sheep. (Saturday) 

Many of our Advent readings are from Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus teaches from a mountain, Isaiah’s favorite symbol, and works great miracles for all who come. Jesus Emmanuel, God with us.                        

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Readings: www.usccb.org