Today our first reading is a famous one from the Prophet Isaiah. Always, it is important when we are reading the Bible, especially the Old Testament to understand the times. Isaiah is preaching to Eighth Century Judah. Judah will be threatened by Sennacherib the King of Assyria but through the Lord’s intervention the nation will defeat the invading Army. However, at the same time Israel the Northern Kingdom will fall.

So, think of it this way, imagine a foreign nation defeated Canada and is now coming for the United States. That invading nation’s flag now flies in Ottawa and lines the border with Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, etc. How are we going to react, especially because they are coming over the Canadian border and are laying siege to Boston? This is the same situation of the people to whom Isaiah is speaking.

Obviously, there is fear and trepidation. There is repentance and a return to the faith in the Temple. Now Isaiah is preaching about a time when all this will pass. What is it that he preaches? First, he talks about a Messiah who will come and will possess what we now know as the Gifts of the Holy Spirit one receives at Baptism.

The Messiah is the anointed one. However, now this messiah has died, resurrected and ascended into Heaven. Who is the anointed one? Those who belong to the Body of Christ which is us. Indeed all of us have been anointed to be priests, prophets and kings in the kingdom of God. We as the Body of Christ are anointed.

Now, what is our message.

Let us look at the end of the oracle. What does Isaiah say? He talks about an image of peace. Now if we look at the image more closely then we see these are all natural enemies that are in peace. When I lived in Ecuador, the wildlife was closer to us because we were in rural areas. Literally, you could look up in the sky and see vultures circling and you knew an animal had died nearby.

We see anacondas on our paths and hornets build nests on windows, etc., etc. That would be the same image. There are natural enemies that are now living in peace.

However, what if I change the animals and say the eagle and the bear will cheer? What would that mean?

Let us go back to the images in Isaiah. He is talking about a time of peace when people can rejoice in being people. When they can celebrate their humanity and know that the Lord is near. Why is this important? Because the people are being laid siege by the Assyrians that have already overcome Israel. Remember what I said about Canada? So imagine people in terror here for they saw what happened in Canada. You also know that if we translate the actions of the Assyrians to the fake nation that occupies Canada in our example you will know that they would be ruthless and brutal. We would see this. Isaiah would be preaching and maybe even say and the Lion will lie down with the Beaver and the Bear will leap for Joy to bless to delight in the Eagle.

What would that mean?

It would be something powerful for us today. Because the national symbol of the invading army in Jerusalem which we are using as an example of invading Canada is the Lion. The national symbol of Canada is the Beaver. It is also the Maple Leaf but I cannot make a maple leaf do anything.

So to say the lion will lie down with the beaver is to speak of a permanent peace. To say the Bear will delight in the Eagle will say there will be no more cold war because the bear is the symbol of Russia and the Bald Eagle is the symbol of the US>

So Isaiah is talking about a time of peace. When will this come? When all nations recognize the Messiah and do him homage. This is because only through Christ will we have this permanent peace.

If we are anointed that what is the message we must bring? Only in Christ will we have peace. So our focus is to be agents of that peace focusing on Christ and by spreading the message of Christ. What happens if we do not do this? Well, have you looked out your door lately?

There is another message there. We know the only way to peace is through the Kingship of Christ. Now we know others disagree with us. However, we also know that without Christ there can be no Heaven. Therefore, without Christ, the human attempt to create utopia will fail. There is no such thing as a Marxist paradise, nor is there any such thing as a Capitalist paradise. There can only be peace in Christ. So our mission is to live that peace so that we can create that peace.

This is where we fail.

Let me give you an example. We are all anointed to be prophets of the Kingdom of God. What is our command as these prophets to love God and neighbor? That is what kind of community we must create. So our focus must be to do that so that we can prophesy that message. It is not to attack, it is not to defeat, to silence, to destroy but only to seek to love God and neighbor. How often do you see people seeking to defeat their political enemies? This is not God’s wish for us, so we must work to bring the love of God to all. Remember, we cannot do this if we do not pray. However, we must pray for our task is huge.

It is also not being done.

Let this year be a focus to reject any call for partisanship for any call for taking sides and be focused on doing one thing. The will of God.

Let me add one thing. I was at a meeting this week. Suddenly, one member of the meeting started to verbally admonish another member of the meeting. It got beyond the stage where anyone could do anything except the leader. If anyone else said anything, it would appear to be taking sides and would escalate the issue. I turned to one of my colleagues and told him goodbye. I will not be part of this. Why this is not what I am about and I will not change my direction.

We need to act as the anointed members of the Body of Christ we are and change any direction that is not focused on living that peace, in our homes, our work, and in our parish.

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