by Rev. Herbert Nichols

The first reading today is preceded, as I said yesterday, by an unread portion, in which Isaiah describes the land of Judah, as destroyed by the invading Assyrians: as a forest cut down and burned. A stump remains among the ruins, symbolic of Jesse the father of David from whom Judean Kings descend. This image of the shoot coming out of the stump indicates that the dynasty will not die out, since from his roots a bud shall blossom. It is in this line that the Savior of mankind shall be born.

In this passage which we read today, we have been inspired to create the annual "Jesse Tree," which often focuses not only on the descendents of Jesse, but on all of humanity. The reading further calls to our attention that this descendent will be a servant of God filled with righteousness who shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth, thus overturning the attitudes of the world.

In the gospel Jesus goes on to praise the Father for revealing these mysteries, not the wise and clever, but to the merest children, and that does not mean naive or innocent, but to those who trust in Him.