A Word of Hope ...

What a gray, dreary day.  It's as if every cliche about Mondays was dropped off at the weather factory, where they were then lovingly (spitefully?) assembled to produce a cold, dank, dispiriting start to the week.  All I can say is "Bleh."

Fortunately, I recalled the lectionary passages for the Second Sunday of Advent.  We didn't read this one from Baruch, but I found the word of hope it offers to be especially uplifting.  I hope you do, too.

Baruch 5:1-9
Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God.  Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting; for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven.  For God will give you evermore the name, "Righteous Peace, Godly Glory."  Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height; look toward the east, and see your children gathered from west and east at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that God has remembered them.  For they went out from you on foot, led away by their enemies; but God will bring them back to you, carried in glory, as on a royal throne.  For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low and the valleys filled up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.  The woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Israel at God's command.  For God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.

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