Awake And Sing For Joy! (Isaiah 26:19)

 


Saturday, December 21, 2024


Psalms 120; 121

Isaiah 26:1-19

Mark 12:28-40


Observance: Thomas, apostle and martyr


Awake And Sing For Joy! (Isaiah 26:19)


As we close our third week of Advent, we look to conclude the answer to our question: where is the guarantee that our efforts to live virtuously will be successful? In this song we have our answer.


I used to wonder why Mary’s song, the Magnificat, is set to be sung every evening in the old prayer book. The more one reads the Bible, the better an answer one gets to that question: it is everywhere. The sentiments Mary sings of are the same as Hannah, and Deborah, and Miriam; and Moses, David, and other voices in the Psalms; Job, far too melancholic to sing, instead soliloquises, but still on the same theme; and here in Isaiah, in this song.


It is a song of faith, sung for thousands of years by faithful people. Humanity has always known that God will one day make all things right; that the wicked will be expelled and the meek brought into a place of perfect peace. That God will raise the dead, and there will be a time and place of life, forever.


If you will not listen to me when I say that God will guarantee our success in virtuous living, then listen to our spiritual ancestors. If you will not listen to them, then look to Jesus. In fact, maybe we should all be doing this – he lived perfectly, and he was raised from the dead. His efforts were vindicated. And so now he has given us Holy Spirit to begun our adventure to reach the lofty heights of himself. Every day is a day of improvement, now and into eternity.


Do you have any role models of virtuous living? How did they get to where they are? How will you follow them?


O Lord, you will ordain peace for us. You have indeed done for us all our works. Keep us succeeding in our efforts to live virtuously, as a people worthy of your Son, our King, Jesus Christ.

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