The prophet Isaiah, one of the earliest prophets whose words were written down, anchored his faith in God in the temple. In Sunday’s reading the prophet envisions the mount on which Israel’s first temple stood as a mountain to which all nations will come to learn peace. Isaiah’s poetry pictures peoples streaming up the paths to the city and temple of God.
In the innermost room of the temple, the Holy of Holies, rests the Ark of the Covenant, which contains the tablets of the law of God. For Isaiah, Yahweh’s mountain and temple stand for God’s covenant law with Israel, of which the ten commandments are the terms. Isaiah sees this law as a font of justice not only for Israel but for the nations. Isaiah calls each of us and each parish community to take one more step toward peace this Advent.
Isaiah’s vision of peace
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In the days to come,
the mountain of God’s house
shall be established
as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us climb God’s mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that God may instruct us
and we may walk in God’s paths.”
From Zion shall go forth instruction,
the word of God from Jerusalem.
God shall judge between the nations and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords
into plowshares
and their spears
into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise
the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.
O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in God’s light!
Isaiah 2.1-5
- Envision peace, the wholeness of the human family in harmony. What does peace look and feel like?
- As a way of staying awake during Advent, pray daily for peace.