Tag: Comfort Ye

That Comforting Voice …

On By Renee Yann, RSMIn Advent, Faith, Gospel, healing, Hope, spiritualityLeave a comment

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
December 6, 2022

Today’s Readings:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/120622.cfm

Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, we once again hear that powerful passage from Isaiah, “Comfort Ye, My People”.

In these words from ancient Isaiah, also suggest echos of the Baptist’s voice, yet to be born, but fashioned from the same hope:

A voice cries out:
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low;
The rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 40:1-2

Our Gospel gives us the gentle parable of the Good Shepherd who finds and comforts the lost sheep. This Divine Shepherd rejoices in the chance to seek out the hurt sheep and to comfort them, just as God rejoices in comforting and healing us.

And finding the sheep, amen, I say to you, the shepherd rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost.”

As we listen to today’s magnificent music, let us slowly name in our prayer those who most need God’s comfort – the “little ones” – not so much in stature – but in hope, freedom, justice, and the blessings of this world. 

We may pray for ourselves, for someone we love, for those we know by name, or for those dear to God though nameless to us – all who suffer throughout the world.

Poetry: Shepherd – William Blake 

How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot,
From the morn to the evening he strays:
He shall follow his sheep all the day
And his tongue shall be filled with praise.

For he hears the lambs innocent call,
And he hears the ewes tender reply,
He is watchful while they are in peace,
For they know when their Shepherd is nigh

Music: Comfort Ye from Handel’s Messiah, sung by Jerry Hadley

The Days Are Coming

On By Renee Yann, RSMIn Advent, Hope, spirituality1 Comment

First Sunday of Advent, December 2, 2018

Click here for readings

Today, in Mercy, we begin our journey through Advent.  We will be accompanied by the great prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures.  We will walk with the saints and sinners of the Gospel. We will be comforted by God’s promises.

Jer 33_15 sprout

We will be in the company of all the Church here on earth and in heaven, as we wait once again for the astounding miracle of Christ’s birth.

Every year we make the journey – some of us for scores of times, some of us just beginning.  And every year, we open and stretch our hearts to hope that God will once again transform the world with Grace.

Jeremiah, in today’s first reading, shared such a hope:

The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
In those days, in that time,
I will raise up for David a just shoot ;
he shall do what is right and just in the land.
In those days Judah shall be safe
and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;
this is what they shall call her:
“The LORD our justice.”

Change but a few “geographies” in the passage, and we are speaking of our own time. May we who have been blessed with the promise of Christ once again claim it during this Advent.  May we engage the grace being offered so that our world – and our own hearts – grow in justice, security and peace.

Music:: Comfort Ye My People from Handel’s Messiah – The English Concert, directed by Trevor Pinnock. Soloist: Kurt Streit