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Read Isaiah 40:1-11.
Every year shortly after Thanksgiving, I begin playing my Christmas CDs. Among my collection is George Frederick Handel’s Messiah. Handel composed the oratorio in just three weeks, from August 22 until September 14, 1741. The libretto, or text, prepared
by Charles Jennens is comprised of Old and New Testament passages from the King James Version of the Bible. The character of God is at the forefront of this musical Christian story.
The slow, soothing opening strains reflect Isaiah’s poetry: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God” (40:1). The poet further imagined a sentinel who climbs a high mountain and screams at the top of his lungs: "Behold your God!" (40:9). He later compared this God to a shepherd tending his sheep: "He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in his bosom." Yahweh is a God who builds a highway in a desert wasteland, who raises valleys and levels mountains, and who makes "the crooked straight and the rough places plain” (40:4)
Our God is not merciless or vindictive, stingy, strict, or severe. Nor is God aloof, detached, indifferent, or unconcerned. Rather, our God exudes kindness, concern, compassion, and love. From start to finish, the musical Christian story celebrates God as being gentle, tender, and empathetic toward "all flesh" (40:5).
 As we prepare to enter the Advent Season (December 3 is the first Sunday of Advent), we must first cross the threshold of World AIDS Day (December 1). Around forty million people are living with HIV throughout the world, and that number increases daily. Ignorance and prejudice fuel the spread of this preventable disease.
In addition to getting the facts, as Christians we are called to reach out to individuals whom God places in our path with a healing touch and with words of tenderness, love, forgiveness, and hope. The AIDS epidemic is a test of how deeply we believe in the tenderness of God and the teachings of Jesus. How sincere is our willingness to forgive? How rich is our compassion? How far does our love reach to overcome the stigmatization and discrimination of AIDS? What comfort can we offer those who suffer?
Prayer: Hear us, O God, as we pray for all those who are living with HIV and AIDS, and for all those affected. We rejoice that many now receive life-saving medication, and give thanks for medical advances, creative advocacy and generosity that have made this possible. But so many have already died, so many continue to suffer, so many are cut off from vital information and medication. Help us to work for universal access to treatment and to support research toward a cure.
Hear us, O God, as we pray for the millions of children who have lost parents, and for the millions of children who are themselves living with HIV or AIDS. Empower us to help change conditions that put them at risk: poverty, war, lack of education, and inadequate heath care.
Grant that your Church may be a healing presence in the face of HIV and AIDS. Show us
your vision and guide us to the words and actions that will make a difference. We raise our prayers to You, placing our trust in You for compassion, healing and courage in the struggle to stop AIDS so that “all flesh” may see Your glory. Hear us and answer us according to the richness of your mercies. Amen.
(Prayer adapted from “A Litany for World AIDS Day,” made available by the United Church of Christ.)
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Ingrid Dvirnak
ABCRM Newsletter Editor |
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