Day 213: The Redeemer

Isaiah 47:1-15 This prophecy depicts Babylon ironically, describing it as both a virgin and a mistress since it had never been conquered or made a vassal but would become a slave when defeated by Persia.


Ch 48:1-16 This passage summarized the key consolations already covered in Isaiah.


The Lord God...his Spirit: Church tradition sees this line as a shrouded hint about the Trinity, which had not yet been revealed fully and explicitly.


Ch 48:17-19 The peace that God gives-which the world cannot give-requires obedience to the divine plan expressed in the Law and Commandments. Fidelity to God’s will ultimately results in many blessings and fruitfulness in spreading good. 


Ch 48:20-22 The return of the exiles to their homeland was reminiscent of the liberation of the Israelites from their enslavement in Egypt as they journeyed to the Promised Land. 


Ezekiel 8:1-18 The description of the “form that had the appearance of a man,” though more succinct, is similar to Ezekiel’s vision in Chapter 1, indicating again that he was seeing the glory of God. 


Image of Jealousy: A pagan idol had been erected near the Temple entrance during the reign of King Manasseh. God’s attitude toward pagan idols is described in the Ten Commandments as one of jealousy (cf. Ex 5:20). The Lord showed Ezekiel images of the terrible pagan abominations that had taken place in the Temple, expressed both in art and in worship. (CCC 399, 2737)


Ch 9:1-11 The punishment inflicted upon the people was brutal. Nevertheless, Nebucahdnezzar’s invading armies served the purpose of purifying his people and ultimately moving them to repentance. (CCC 310-311)


Ch 9:4-6 Mark upon the foreheads: This is one of many Old Testament references that prefigures the indelible marks, or permanent seals, conferred by the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, which are intimately linked to a sharing in the priesthood of Christ according to the Sacrament received. In this vision of Ezekiel, the mark similarly identifies those who truly fear the Lord and who are faithful, while those without the mark remain in an unrepentant state. 


Begin at my sanctuary: In the prophetic writings, it is often the religious and civic leaders who receive the harshest condemnation, given the harm and scandal inflicted on others. (CCC 1296)


Proverbs 12:13-23 These verses give a practical lesson in prudence by stressing discretion in speech, which must be marked by sincerity and charity. (CCC 1788, 1806)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)



Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven we give you praise and we give you glory and we thank you so much for your Word. We thank you for the gift of life and we thank you for the fact that things are alive, Lord God. Honestly, life is your gift. That we grow and we change is your gift. Both when we grow in strength and also when we grow in age and in weakness. Lord God, even in our infirmities you can make yourself known. Even in our weakness you can make your power known. And you do. You often choose to do that. So we give you permission to make yourself known to us and to the world in our weakness. We give you permission to make yourself known to us and to others around us in our brokenness and our woundedness. We make this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”