Rev. Michael Piazza, in Liberating Word says about Isaiah 12, “The fact that this section of Isaiah ends with a psalm of praise and celebration says a lot about the rich faith life of the prophet. Remember that he lived in times that were much more desperate than ours-a nation split in two; a long series of inept and destructive leaders; Judah’s raid by surrounding nations, taken away resources and kidnapped people; the apparent end of the line- all hope is lost. Then Isaiah has a vision of a future in which hope springs out of a dry, dead stump. This psalm of praise is offered in faith that this future will someday become reality.
One of my favorite verses in all of Broadway is from “The Man of La Mancha” when Don Quixote says, “True madness is to see the world as it is, not as it should be.” This was the philosophy of Isaiah and his ministry. He could not fix the present circumstances, but he would prophesy to the people the promise that what they were suffering was not the end of the story. In tough times, we who are people of faith have a responsibility to take up the mantle of Isaiah and become those who bring words of hope. We do not pretend the present isn’t rough, but by faith, we offer the promise that these difficult days have “come to pass”, but they have not come to stay.”
Rev. Michael Piazza, in Liberating Word says about Isaiah 12, “The fact that this section of Isaiah ends with a psalm of praise and celebration says a lot about the rich faith life of the prophet. Remember that he lived in times that were much more desperate than ours-a nation split in two; a long series of inept and destructive leaders; Judah’s raid by surrounding nations, taken away resources and kidnapped people; the apparent end of the line- all hope is lost. Then Isaiah has a vision of a future in which hope springs out of a dry, dead stump. This psalm of praise is offered in faith that this future will someday become reality.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite verses in all of Broadway is from “The Man of La Mancha” when Don Quixote says, “True madness is to see the world as it is, not as it should be.” This was the philosophy of Isaiah and his ministry. He could not fix the present circumstances, but he would prophesy to the people the promise that what they were suffering was not the end of the story. In tough times, we who are people of faith have a responsibility to take up the mantle of Isaiah and become those who bring words of hope. We do not pretend the present isn’t rough, but by faith, we offer the promise that these difficult days have “come to pass”, but they have not come to stay.”
No one says it better than Rev. Piazza!