The First and Second Readings on this day, at the start of a new liturgical year, both speak of confidence in God's mercy and love. In the First Isaiah is mindful of the failings of the people and longs for the Messiah to vindicate God's rule: "O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence." (Is. 64: 1) In the Second St Paul encourages the Corinthians to be faithful so they may continue in their faith until the Lord returns as he promised: "He will strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor 1: 8) Surrounded as we are with all the tinsel and blandishments of consumerism it is possible for us to lose heart. The apostasy of Western civilization to materialism, scientism and other idealogies antithetical to the Gospel can cause us sadness. How could people who have known the hope of the Gospel turn aside to other gods and other empty promises?: "Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for something that does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water." (Jer. 2: 11-13).The answer is for us, in this season of preparation, to renew our trust in God and in his ways: "Yet, O Lord , you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand." (Is. 64: 8) We do this through prayer and alms giving along with a reaffirmation in the power of God to save even when, as we see in the lead up to Jesus' birth, that all appeared to be lost.
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