Advent meditation: The prophet Isaiah is famous for his lucid prophecies of Our Lord and Our Lady. In the early chapters of his book, he gives many prophecies of the birth of Christ. In one of them, he foretells how a virgin would give birth to a child named “God-with-us.” Later on he tells of many other titles this child would receive, such as “Mighty God,” and that the child would fulfill the promise to David, son of Jesse, by being king forever.
Prayer: O come, O Branch of Jesse’s stem, unto your own and rescue them! From depths of hell your people save, and give them victory o’er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel. (From O come, O come, Immanuel)
Scripture: The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel… For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore… There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, 11:1-2)
