Give comfort to my people

“Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.” (IS 40: 1-2)

This call is addressed to the prophet, but we can accept this as a call to us—“give comfort to my people.” “Speak tenderly” to your spouse and to your children; be gentle and respectful. Forget her or his “guilt” and all sins. We are not called to judge people, to change them or to fix them; we are called to “comfort” and love them, like Our Lord Who “comes to save us.”

“The day of the Lord is near: Behold, he comes to save us.” (Gospel Acclamation)