Stumps and Shoots

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, December 7th, 2025:
Second Sunday of Advent

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Isaiah
11.1-10​

On that day:
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
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.
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;
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.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

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.
The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.
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.

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.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

It’s a dreary November day as I write this. The weather has turned and it’s cold, windy, and  uninviting. Looking out our front window there is nothing new, little colour and globs of wet leaves across our lawn. Glancing down the street, we are witnessing the early stages of the tearing down of St. Theresa’s Church. Over the past weeks a massive wreaking ball on an equally massive crane has been going through its roof. People are watching on the street corners and cars are slowing down as they drive by a building that has stood for over 90 years. Although the decommissioning of this church was unavoidable and the right course of action (with mould and major structural issues discovered), it is still a bit uncomfortable to watch. It’s grey, sad, and lifeless.

Today’s reading from the prophet Isaiah offers an interesting parallel. From the stricken and metaphorical stump of the royal house of Jesse (King David’s father) a glorious, sanctified, and holy new shoot will come in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ to offer new life. The archdiocesan plan for the land is also for new life, in an earthy sense, as they work toward 100% affordable housing units for seniors, families, and people with disabilities. It’s a ray of much-needed hope from a pile of rubble; new life from the disappointing end to a once-vibrant church. It’s a reminder that God is always at work. Where hope seemed cut off, new hope will emerge for its new residents and the community.

I'm struck by how in my own journey as a young adult, desolation, a heart cold from sin, and even despair meant a life that often seemed more hopeless than a dead tree stump. But, from a soft “Yes, Lord” at my first Alpha in my mid-life that masked an internal cry out for help, my reality and secular worldview have slowly been transformed. What was dead is now alive, some days even fully alive in Christ Jesus. Isaiah’s prophetic words offer such a vivid picture for the hope for Christianity, with the ultimate triumphant return of the King of Kings.

This passage is such an encouraging testament to keep praying with expectation for “new shoots” for our Church, our community of faith, and our personal role in it. All glory to God!




​Patty Viscount

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