5 December 2020

Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’.
Isaiah 25:6-10, NRSV

The prophecy of Isaiah that we hear today possibly dates from the time when the Assyrians invaded Judah and destroyed all the smaller towns around it. For reasons that are unclear, they stopped short of attacking Jerusalem itself, leaving it surrounded by the ruins of the other towns. Isaiah holds out the promise of a time of peace, fruitfulness and renewal, but first the people must repent. They need to acknowledge their need of God and undergo a time of penance; they must eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction.

• • Why does God ask for repentance before giving the people the peace and comfort they long for? 
  • Have you ever experienced a sense of renewal and new life after a time of penance?

Pray for the discernment to see any aspects of your behaviour for which repentance is needed and how you might go about this.