Tuesday of the First Week of Advent, Dec 2, 2025
Isaiah 11:1–10
1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear;
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.
6 The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
10 On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
Isaiah lived through turbulent times. Four kings ruled during his ministry—Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Some were strong, others weak; some sought God, others ignored Him. Uzziah began well but ended in pride. Jotham followed his father’s example yet failed to reform the nation. Ahaz turned to foreign gods and trusted political power instead of faith. Hezekiah tried to restore worship, but even his reign ended under the shadow of Assyria. And after him came Manasseh, whose cruelty drowned Jerusalem in innocent blood.
Isaiah saw it all—leaders rising and falling, the temple defiled, the people divided, the nation crumbling. Yet out of that desolation, he dared to dream: “A branch shall spring from the stump of Jesse.”
It was a breathtaking vision—life growing from what seemed dead. Isaiah imagined an ideal ruler, one whose authority would rest not on armies or wealth but on wisdom, justice, and reverence for God. He would defend the poor, restore harmony, and judge with righteousness. For a people betrayed by kings, it was not naïve hope but the courage of faith.
We know whom Isaiah was pointing toward: Jesus of Nazareth—the Branch and the Root, the King and the Servant. He came not from a palace but from a stable. His sceptre was mercy; His crown was thorns. He conquered not by the sword but by love that endured the cross.
But Isaiah’s dream did not end with one person—it widened into a vision for all creation. He saw the wolf and the lamb dwelling together, the child playing safely beside the cobra’s den. It was a picture of a healed world, where fear gives way to trust and hostility turns into peace. It is Eden remembered—and more than remembered: Eden restored.
Can we still believe such a world is possible? Look around—wars rage, lies multiply, and the earth groans under greed. Yet Isaiah’s dream refuses to die. It reawakens wherever truth is spoken, forgiveness offered, or justice pursued. Every act of compassion, however small, becomes a green shoot in the desert of our times.
The same Spirit that rested on the Messiah—the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, and strength—rests also upon us. But do we believe it? I often ask Catholics, “Are you a messiah?” Most quickly answer, “No.” Yet the word Messiah means anointed one—and every baptized Christian has been anointed with the same Spirit that rested upon Jesus. We are a messianic people, called to continue His work of healing, justice, and peace. Perhaps that is why Isaiah’s dream still waits to be fulfilled: we have forgotten who we are.
Isaiah ends with a whisper of promise: “On that day, the nations will seek the root of Jesse, and his dwelling shall be glorious.” That day is not locked in the future. It begins whenever we dare to believe that the Spirit of the Lord rests upon us—and to live as bearers of that Spirit in a wounded world. When we do, the dream of Isaiah lives again: justice for the poor, harmony among all creation, and peace that does not end.
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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