Light and Shadow

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, January 19th, 2025:
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Isaiah
62.1-5

​For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.

The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.

For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

This Sunday’s first reading is striking, like a light casting shadow. Vindication and salvation are desirable, yet they can only exist in the mire of being wrongly accused and in desperate need of being saved. Being called by a new name is exciting, too; however, to be called “My Delight is in her,” one must first endure the renown of being known as “Forsaken” and “Desolate.” As for the crown: There was only ever one crown that Christ, the King of Kings, wore during His earthly ministry, and it was made of thorns.

Given my perspective, it should come as no surprise that reading this passage makes me think of the Passion. The triduum is soaked in the same juxtaposition and language. It, too, speaks of the marriage between God and humanity – Christ and the Church.

In the light of the brutality of the Passion, it’s easy to overlook the beauty that God planted in the shadow of the cross. A bond between an all-powerful King with an unbendable will and His faithful bride, who cannot be deceived by lies. By His unwavering conviction in the truth during His greatest trial, Christ becomes the bedrock of her faith, and the exemplar for action. When she aligns herself with Him in love and understanding, she becomes as unmovable as her bridegroom.

Of course, it doesn’t end there. Even though my mind goes to Christ’s Passion, Isaiah isn’t actually referring to it in this passage. If anything, his words depict an altogether inverted image of the Passion, wherein the bride is suffering and her bridegroom watches on.

He doesn’t watch impassively, though. Instead, the first reading feels like a proclamation. Not only is He announcing His steadfast loyalty to her, He plans on shouting it out for all to hear. He will deliver her from her persecutors and elevate her, and He’s so confident of the outcome that He announces it before He even starts!

I can imagine the comfort that His words can bring in the midst of a heavy trial. He speaks reassurance, love, and hope; strength, confidence, and victory. No matter how dark it gets, everything will turn out well, and the brightness that follows will last forever.

In this way, there doesn’t seem to be one focal point in this reading, but two: the one to whom the words are referring, and the one who is speaking. When both are in focus, the bond of love between them becomes very clear to me.

Undoubtedly, this is a beautiful passage from the Bible, often repeated and for good reason. It succinctly summarizes God’s abounding love for His creation. As His creation, it’s uplifting to read, but also grounding because it speaks into the path that we’re called to follow. A path of darkness before light, and suffering before unending joy.




​Originally posted January 11, 2022, by Laura Dysart

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