Liturgy

A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse,
a scion thrusts from his roots:
on him the spirit of the Lord rests,
a spirit of wisdom and insight,
a spirit of counsel and power,
a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)
He does not judge by appearances,
he gives no verdict on hearsay,
but judges the wretched with integrity,
and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.
His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless,
his sentences bring death to the wicked.
Integrity is the loincloth round his waist,
faithfulness the belt about his hips.

The wolf lives with the lamb,
the panther lies down with the kid,
calf and lion feed together,
with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear make friends,
their young lie down together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The infant plays over the cobra’s hole;
into the viper’s lair the young child puts his hand.
They do no hurt, no harm, on all my holy mountain,
for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters swell the sea.

That day, the root of Jesse
shall stand as a signal to the peoples.
It will be sought out by the nations
and its home will be glorious.

– Isaiah 11:1-10

Thought for the day

God’s ways are not our ways. To welcome the Lord is to let go of everything we think we know and invite a new world to begin, one founded on integrity, wisdom, and peace.

Pray with Missio

We pray for the people of Sudan, and the missionaries who accompany them. May the Holy Spirit breathe through the nation, healing conflict, and bringing all people together in peace.