Isaiah 52:7-10

Read:

   Isaiah 52:7-10 (NRSV)

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." 8Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the LORD to Zion. 9Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. 10The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Think:

Listen! Your sentinels, lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion.

Do you hear the people sing? Today, I went to see Les Miserables.   The new feature film based on the musical based on the novel by Victor Hugo.  It is one of my favorite stories of all time, one of the few books I've read in my life that actually reduced me to tears.  It was the first musical I saw with my mother on broadway 16 years ago and the story of redemption, reconcilliation and most of all love resonated through out my mind, body and soul.  Then I came home to complete my prayers and take a nap and after revisiting morning prayer's readings I find this line.  The image of Marius and his comrades standing on the baracade still strong in my mind and I wonder what was the view of the sentinels looking out in the night skies over Jerusalem.  I have never been to Jerusalem, I do not know what Zion looks like but I do have a vivid imagination and I have stood on mountain tops in the White Mountains, the Rockies and on the Pacific Rim.  I have stood on roof tops in Manhattan, London, and Tokyo and I can see myself standing watch in the night.  Watching and waiting for something, anything to change for the better.  Yesterday I asked for peace and joy, that I would hold on to hope.  Today I am feeling that I might be able to see joy in the future.  That there is hope and there is expectation and today as we celebrate the arrival of the Magi what is seen cannot be unseen and what has been expected has been fulfilled and I trust that as I stand sentinel my song of hope will be joined by others and my prayer will not go unheard.  I know my redeemer will return.  I know that as I stand and all may feel hopeless, not all hope is lost, not all joy is drown in sorrow, not all unease is at the cost of peace.

Pray:

Sing to the Lord a new song.  A song of hope, joy and peace, sing to the Lord a new song as I stand watch and hold fast to hope.  Sing to the Lord a new song and may my voice be joined with those who watch from all the ends of the earth in hope of a revolution based in love and concord. Amen

Contemplation:

15 minutes of centering prayer