Memory of the Mother of the Lord

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Spirit of the Lord is upon you.
The child you shall bear will be holy.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Isaiah 40,1-11

'Console my people, console them,' says your God. 'Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and cry to her that her period of service is ended, that her guilt has been atoned for, that, from the hand of Yahweh, she has received double punishment for all her sins.' A voice cries, 'Prepare in the desert a way for Yahweh. Make a straight highway for our God across the wastelands. Let every valley be filled in, every mountain and hill be levelled, every cliff become a plateau, every escarpment a plain; then the glory of Yahweh will be revealed and all humanity will see it together, for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.' A voice said, 'Cry aloud!' and I said, 'What shall I cry?' -'All humanity is grass and all its beauty like the wild flower's. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of Yahweh blows on them. (The grass is surely the people.) The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God remains for ever.' Go up on a high mountain, messenger of Zion. Shout as loud as you can, messenger of Jerusalem! Shout fearlessly, say to the towns of Judah, 'Here is your God.' Here is Lord Yahweh coming with power, his arm maintains his authority, his reward is with him and his prize precedes him. He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms, holding them against his breast and leading to their rest the mother ewes.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Look down, O Lord, on your servants.
Be it unto us according to your word.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

"Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term." The prophet does not let himself be overwhelmed by resignation or discouragement because of the situation of exile in which his people find themselves, and he speaks words of consolation. At the same time as he invites believers to reflect on their weakness and the precariousness of life, he urges them to turn their eyes to the Lord who is coming to save them. We urgently must open a road in the desert of our hearts to allow the Lord to reach our doors to visit us. When the Word of God reaches a heart, it is always a word of consolation that opens to an encounter with the Lord. The prophet urges believers to proclaim the word in such a way that everyone can hear this word of consolation: "Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings." The Lord is coming like a strong shepherd who redeems and saves. Christian communities and individual believers are called to lay aside their fear and become prophets themselves, that is, people who proclaim the consolation of God. He is coming to take care of the world, starting with the weakest.