On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
He shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
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 guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
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.
(Is 11:1-10)
Isaiah’s vision is expansive and holds out hope for our world. How important is the theme of justice for the poor and the afflicted. The Advent carol, Lo! How a Rose E’re Blooming come from this passage. Today is World AIDS Day. The picture is of a section of the The Names Quilt, remembering those who have died.
