Healing the helpless and harrassed

The theme of healing after adversity is in the texts of the Roman Catholic lectionary today. The prophet Isaiah sees a time when the relationship of the people of Israel with God brings great fruit. The consequence of developing this relationship with the Divine will be the peace which comes from the ability to see the bigger picture and to look beyond the adversity and trial of today with the faith which encourages trust in the plan of God and a desire that His will be done. The psalmist praises the gracious action of God to the people in gathering outcasts and healing the wounded. Matthew makes it clear in his Gospel that the healing and the spreading of peace to the harassed and helpless is the mission of Jesus and those who are called to labour in the fields where the harvest is plenty and the labourers few. The season is one of expectation the Liturgies of the Church help us to become involved in the continuous expectation of Emmanuel “God is with us”.