Isaiah encourages Israel to not look back but to believe all things are new.  Isaiah believes in a God who forgives and looks to the future in us. Israel, as a nation, has offended God many times when they strayed from following what they knew to be God’s Will. Isaiah tells the people to put those ‘iniquities’ behind and look to the new.

This is a great concept for anyone in discernment about where God is leading them in their lives. We have done what we have done and now can embrace a new life. God cares more about our next step than our previous errors!

The Gospel (Lk 2:1-12) tells the dramatic story of the paralyzed man healed. Picture Jesus in a crowd and hard to reach because people surround Him like a wall. Everyone wants a piece of Him, and no one is willing to give up their space. So the paralyzed man, confident that Jesus will heal him, is rescued by his friends. Creatively, they climb on the roof and lift him into the room right on top of Jesus. Jesus immediately heals the him as He recognizes the depth of his faith.

Community is like that – we help each other move forward to seek God and know Jesus. What one can not accomplish on her own can be accomplished with the whole community. The power of community heals as well as serves Jesus. It is profound if we let ourselves reflect on this. It is not me alone that always makes the difference – it is We who do it. We rescue each other, we amaze ourselves with the power of community that never ends!