Clear and Present Hope

There is no escaping the reality that we live in a world riddled by suffering. And while the Scriptures are slow to explain why we suffer, the Word of God is replete with comfort for the sufferer. For the third Sunday of Advent, we focus first on Isaiah 35 and the prophetic poem to the Jewish people who seek to end their suffering through political pacts. Isaiah promises hope in God’s presence instead of geopolitics. Next, we see how Jesus fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of God’s presence in the incarnation. Finally, we see how the Church is called to be present to a suffering world. Pastor Jesse Carlucci posits what is promised in Isaiah is perfected in Jesus and extended through the Church to those who suffer.