Going Out and Bringing Back

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday August 21st, 2022:
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Isaiah
66.18-21

Thus says the Lord: “For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them.

“From them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud — which draw the bow — to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.

“They shall bring all your kindred from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the children of Israel bring a grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord.

“And I will also take some of them as priests and as Levites,” says the Lord.

God is coming to gather the nations.

He has set a sign among us.

He is sending us out to the distant lands that have never heard of Him, to proclaim His glory, and to bring back His people to His holy city, Jerusalem. He is sending us to share His message with those who have never heard it before, and bring them home. He is sending us to find our friends and family and those who are far away, and bring them home. He is asking us to bring everyone home. Some of us will be appointed priests to minister directly to the people of God, but all of us are called to evangelize, to share God’s love, and to reach out, to beckon, to call, to welcome, to bring. 

Some will listen; some will not. He already knows the thoughts and ways of those who have turned against him, who worship false idols. Yet all are welcome; all are called to come home and behold His glory.

I am struck by a few things in this passage. First, the immediacy of the message — make no mistake, God is on the way. Can you feel the undercurrent of excitement and anticipation stirring? Can you feel the force with which God announces His arrival, His glory? This is a clarion call. 

Second, that God’s message is to be delivered by us. We are the work of His hands, and we are hands to carry out His good work. We are made to go out to all the world and proclaim God’s glory.

Think of all the ways God can go out and bring back through us:

    Service…
    Caring for…
    Compassion…
    Listening…
    Giving…
    Being with, being present…
    Sharing…
    Telling…
    Writing…
    Art…
    Ministry…

Lately I’ve been realizing how much music ministry can be a way of evangelizing and gathering – going out and bringing back. I’ve been privileged to build and tend to a small choir at my parish and have watched them grow since the beginning of the year. Music is a beautiful way to proclaim God’s goodness and glory in a way that transcends language and difference. Writing is a way of proclaiming and reflecting glory, too, particularly with something like Ora Ministry. In our gentle way we are reaching out, sharing God’s glory through our words — His glory as light reflected from facets of each woman’s life, spoken uniquely through each woman’s heartfelt voice.

To proclaim His glory in these ways is a gift. It can’t be anything but. 

He is coming to gather the nations… let us rise up and go to Him with arms outstretched, ready, honoured, giving, grateful.




Kim Tan

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