God tells the prophet Isaiah, “say to those with fearful hearts, ‘be strong, do not fear; your God will come to save you.” In our Gospel lesson we see Jesus fulfill Isaiah’s promises. He “opened the eyes of the blind, and unstopped the ears of the deaf and the mute tongue shouts for joy.” In many and eternal ways we are made new in Christ. The past can be left behind and we can celebrate the new things of God.