In 2015 Pope Francis did in New York City what no mayor or police force could ever do. It was reported that during the Pope’s stay there was no violent crime committed there. Peace in a crime-ridden city! Such was brought about, of course, not by the Pope but by the presence of Jesus in the Pope.
Today, Isaiah continues to lead us up God’s Mountain. He tells us in advance what it will be like there (Isaiah 11:1-10).
“Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to lead them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox.”
God’s holy mountain will be so saturated in his love, that even the animals will get along with each other. The little lamb will invite the wolf over for dinner, and the lamb will not be the main course. When God’s presence is so thick in a place, as it apparently was in New York City when Pope Francis visited, a new Eden is created.
The prophet continues:
“The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.”
Talk about a safe place! We don’t have to worry about something happening to our children. No need for police departments or emergency rooms. What is the secret that brings this about? The “knowledge of God,” which means the presence of God. “As water covers the sea” so will be the richness and abundance of God’s love there.
Isn’t Isaiah painting a picture of Eden before the fall. What made Eden so wonderful were not the “perks” but the enveloping presence of God.
How is it that the Mountain of God was Eden recovered? This is explained in the first part of the reading.
“A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him…he shall judge the poor with justice…He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he shall lay the wicked.”
Who is this that shall rise from the stump of Jesse? Who is this who will have the Holy Spirit resting on him? Who is this who will slay the wicked? Who is this who will reign on God’s Mountain?
It is Jesus of course. Whereas the disobedience of Adam caused the demise of Eden, so the obedience of the New Adam will bring about its restoration. It was Jesus’ heroic obedience to the Father that re-connected man to God and made way for God’s new creation to take over the earth.
Turning to the gospel reading, we listen to Jesus talking to the disciples (Luke 10:21-24).
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see it…”
Jesus was the “mountain” of God’s presence. Wherever he went, the power of God’s kingdom was manifest; peace, healings, authority took over the space. So it will be for us as we let Jesus come in.
We continue our Advent climb. We seek the mountaintop of God’s presence manifested by Jesus within us.
