29 November 2021
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
From Isaiah 2:1-5, NRSV
As Advent begins and our attention turns to the coming of Christ, we are offered a vision of peace. As we look at our world today and over the time since Christ’s birth, we can see that Isaiah’s vision has never yet been fully realised and that the world is still a far from peaceful place. However, rather than feeling defeatist about the hope of ever achieving meaningful peace, Isaiah’s words encourage us to act as though his promise belongs to us and to believe that the peace of Christ can reign in our hearts and minds right now. As we await the coming of Christ in majesty at the end of time, we do not wait in idleness but in the belief that our every act of reconciliation and peace-making will help to “usher in” that time of completion.
- What is your interpretation of Isaiah’s words about swords and spears?
- What can you do today to increase the amount of peace in our world?
Pray for an end to conflict between nations and people and in the coming days act on the opportunities that come your way to be a peace maker.
