Thoughts for the Day

How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version

Thoughts

The book of Isaiah appears to have been written between 8th and 7th centuries BCE, probably by three different people. Today's reading is from Deutero-Isaiah (Chapters 40-56) and imagines good news being brought to Jerusalem that they are to be freed from the yoke of the Babylonians. However, Christians see these words as referring to John the Baptist, and to the coming of the Messiah, or else to His Second Coming.

Today, we have the second of the 'O Antiphons' - with its title for the Messiah - 'O Adonai'. 'Adonai' is Hebrew for 'My Lord' and because devout Jews were not prepared to say the name of God out of reverence, this title was a substitute. Names are important for Jews, in some way they give a 'handle' on the person. When God identified Himself to Moses he said His name was "I am", which is translated as 'Yahweh' or 'Jehovah' in our bibles.

The Antiphon sung in Evensong today is:

'O Adonai, and Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!'

As we mark down the last few days of Advent leading to Christmas, we too say "Maranatha!" (Aramaic), that is 'Come O Lord!'

O Wisdom,
O Adonai,
Lord of lords,
our ruler and our guide,
we long for the time You will return,
and pray that You will find us
ready and awake,
not sleeping in sin.
Amen.