He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as He hears He will answer you (cf. Is 30:19)
The Book of Isaiah is the Gospel of the Old Testament. Isaiah is a prophet of the closeness of God, God leaning towards man, therefore we read this book in Advent, while waiting for the coming of the Lord. It turns out, however, that God is waiting for a gesture on the part of man. Advent is the time when God waits for man's conversion, for his full turning to his God: as soon as he hears he will answer you, but He await of our voice.
We usually see God as a strong monarch. That is why we are asking Him for prosperity in the world. But here in the world, His grace, as we understand it, that is, as well-being, is a gesture of a magnate. Whereas, in Isaiah, God is close - the Teacher, Guide, Father and Mother like in home - he binds wounds, is the giver of peace: “The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, while from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or to the left.” (cf. Is 30: 20-21)
God is leading first and foremost. This is especially true in times of trouble and distress, a time when we are not doing well. All His gestures are signs of love. The most important thing is that we will see Him and hear his voice. It is vision that is decisive. What do we see: despondency, the greatness of human iniquity, or God in his grace? If we do not see His graces, we are looking not correctly. What are the criteria for our looking and judging?
Isaiah saw much of the evil going on in his day. He criticized it very much, made strong Prophetic speeches against evil, but basically his book is good news about God who comes to liberate, to give life. And this is how Incarnate God, Jesus of Nazareth, reveals himself. He comes as the Healer, opens blind eyes, preaches the good news. In the Gospel, Christ also sends his disciples on a mission: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
(cf. Mt 10:7-8)
You received for free, give for free. Free, i.e., from love, not for something, but a free gesture of love. Only when we look at it in this way, our heart opens to a different way of looking - allowing us to adopt a similar attitude towards others.
We are surprised by the fact that the Lord Jesus, and through him the Father Himself, needs people to spread the Gospel. “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few; so, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (cf. Mt 9:37-38)
Why? Couldn't he do it himself? Could it not be - as the book of Isaiah seems to suggest - that He Himself acts, that every person can opens to Him?
It seems that the essence of the kingdom of God that the disciples were to proclaim was testimony and fellowship. This is how the kingdom expands. This is the way, the way of experiencing, practicing mutual love in concrete terms. The fact that this is the intention of our Lord Jesus is proved by his High Priestly prayer from the seventeenth chapter of the gospel of Saint John. He prays in it: “I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me” (cf. Jn 17:23)
Therefore, he sends them two by two, because this smallest community can truly be a witness of love. Only the experience of love allows us to change our way of looking, allows us to see the real presence of God in our lives.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george