Tuesday 29 November 2022

Today is Tuesday the 29th of November, in the first week of Advent.


The Choir of Portsmouth Cathedral sings 'The Advent Prose':



Pour down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness.
Turn your fierce anger from us, O Lord, and remember not our sins for ever.
Your holy cities have become a desert, Zion a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation; our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you.
Pour down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness. We have sinned and become like one who is unclean; we have all withered like a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have swept us away.
You have hidden your face from us, and abandoned us to our iniquities.
Pour down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness.
You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know me and believe me.
I myself am the Lord, and none but I can deliver; what my hand holds, none can snatch away.
Pour down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness.
Comfort my people, comfort them; my salvation shall not be delayed.
I have swept your offences away like a cloud; fear not, for I will save you.
I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your redeemer. Pour down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness.

Today’s reading is from the prophet Isaiah.


Isaiah 11:1-10

A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

The words of our reading today offer beautiful, and perhaps familiar, images for the beginning of Advent. Maybe they bring a sense of anticipation to this season of waiting?


Isaiah’s prophesy foretells the coming of the Lord, and of his judgement and justice which will lead to a kingdom of peace.

As you listened, which word or phrase most stood out to you?

This reading begins with something very small… roots, shoots…a branch growing from a rock… then a rich and vast description of all that the Messiah will be and do when he comes, such as:

The spirit of the Lord will rest on him… and he will have wisdom… understanding… counsel… might… knowledge…fear of the Lord.

Picture Jesus with you now, the One who embodies all these promised qualities.

As you listen again, notice any desires rising within you as the coming King and his reign are described.

‘The wolf shall lie down with the lamb,’ describes a promise of utter peace in a relationship or a situation where peace may have once seemed impossible.


Where do you most long to see this image lived out in your life and in the world?

Talk with Jesus about this for a while.

You may like to continue to use the image of the lion and the lamb lying down together as part of an Advent prayer for peace.


O Wisdom
Lord and Ruler
Root of Jesse
Key of David
Rising Son
King of the Nations
Emmanuel
Come, Lord Jesus.