“The Lord is gracious and merciful.” This is the proclamation in today’s Responsorial Psalm. In this Psalm we give praise and thanks to God. This psalm proclaims: “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. The Lord is good to all, compassionate toward all your works.” (Psalm 145:8-9). The God of compassion and mercy is not just a discovery of the New Testament since throughout the Old Testament we hear of God’s great mercy.
The prophet Isaiah in today’s first reading announces that God is near to us and ready to help us: “I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you…I will help you…your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel’” (Isaiah 41:13-14). The prophet Isaiah was sent to console and give comfort to the People of God, that is everyone in need: the poor, the immigrant, the hungry, those who bear heavy burdens such as those suffering from sickness and/or depression. As we heard in last Sunday’s first reading, God speaks to our hearts: “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem…”
During this season of Advent, we look back to the first advent or coming of Jesus at Christmas and we also look forward to the second advent or coming of Jesus at the end of time. But the message of Advent is that God of mercy is always with us, that is the promise of Emmanuel:
“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 7:14).
This promise is echoed in Jesus’ last words of the Gospel:
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Image: “Isaiah Prophet and Marcus (Lion) al Matthew (Angel) Evangelists – Mosaics (about 1143) – Santa Maria in Trastevere Church in Rome” by Carlo Raso is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.