Advent – Season of Hope, Journey of Faith

On all Sundays of Advent, the first reading is from the Prophet Isaiah; he constantly announces the coming of salvation, often using poetic images. Today we hear that “a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” The wolf will be the guest of the lamb; the cow and the bear will become neighbors; the baby will play by the cobra’s den! Yes, there is hope; yet, you might ask: What is genuine, realistic hope?