And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Is 49 1-6
Isaiah is one of the major prophets whose writings are not only prolific, but also poetic and eloquent. Isaiah is charged with sharing God’s plan — that God would send a Messiah — and provides detail about what that Messiah will do and will be like.
One of the chief roles of the Messiah was to reunite the twelve tribes of Israel. This reunification is a symbol of God’s desire to unite all peoples to Himself to put creation back in its proper order. Our reading today from Isaiah reminds us that this would be no easy task; that it would require God’s graces to reunite all peoples to Him and save and restore what God had originally created.
Throughout these Holy Week observances, may we remember that through the sacrifice of Jesus we have become a new creation, and each day that grace is poured out upon us, brings us closer to being the person that God intended.
Lord help us to accept the good, the bad, the easy, and difficult. Help us to know that somehow you are using these experiences to form and shape us in your loving image. Help us to listen, remember, and trust. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.