Baruch 5:1-2, 7-9
Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name….
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company.
The above passage from the Book of Baruch in the Old Testament applies not just to the biblical Jerusalem and the Israelites, but also to the new Jerusalem of the new Chosen People of Christians.
That is because the Second Person of the Triune Godhead incarnated Himself as man to make a new Covenant with not just Jews, but with all who believe in Him — Jews and Gentiles.
As St. Paul put it in Hebrews 9:15, “He is mediator of a new covenant,” and explained further in another letter:
Ephesians 1:3-5, 7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him,
before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ….
In him we have redemption by his blood….
So, by exercising our God-given free will to follow Jesus, we are the new Chosen People.
We are chosen! We are selected as a favorite out of “many [who] are called” (Matthew 22:14) “out of the world” (John 15:19). What a privilege! We are God’s choice to bear His name, represent His cause, and share His glory throughout eternity.
Heeding the words of Baruch 5:7, let us not be intimidated by our enemies — political, cultural, spiritual — but instead “advance secure in the glory of God“!
And may the peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
~E
Thank you Dr.E for this magnificent post! In today’s Gospel, we hear about St. John the Baptist, who says to “Prepare the way of the Lord!” During this Advent Season before Christmas, we must prepare ourselves for the coming of Our Lord Jesus, through the Sacraments, prayer, penance, and the goodness we show to God and others. May Our Lord help us to be the people He wants us to be.
Thank you Dr. E. This year one section of Medieval World History is on my “regular” assignment, in addition to my “regular” art courses. Because it is in the era of the development of the “three great religions of the world,” it’s most difficult for me to teach the advent of Judaism/Christianity against the later rise of Mohammad worship & the previous far Eastern religions, esp the way modern “politically correct” academic texts are written. As the yrs go by in my teaching experience, students know less and less abt their own “Christianity” and nil about Mohammadism or any Far Eastern religion. IMO…making them “open” to almost anything, a “blank slate,” so to speak for anyone & everyone who is eager to fill up that empty space.