Get you up to a high mountain, O herald of good tidings to Zion;
lift up your voice with strength, O herald of good tidings to Jerusalem, lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might,
and His arm rules for Him; His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.
He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms….
Isaiah 40: 9-11
The book of Isaiah is filled with prophecies about the coming of a Messiah, of Christ the Savior. At first glance, the book seems a better fit for the Christmas season instead of the second Friday of Lent. It speaks of heralding good news. In the Armenian bible, the word in the phrase “O herald of good tidings to Jerusalem” is Avedis. “Medz Avedis” – a glorious phrase meaning “Great Good News” is sung so joyfully on Christmas day. The great good news is this: Here is your God – He comes with might – His arm rules – He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms. Isaiah is pointing to a coming Savior: Christ, the Lord, who is to become the sacrifice for our sins, and to gather us in His arms to save us. On this second Friday of Lent, we look forward to the Great Friday of Lent. The Shepherd who was born to save us will lay His life down for us.
Let us pray with St. Gregory:
For the Old law was a faint image of the New,
holding in its bosom good news and assurance
of the great, blessed victory over death
and heavenly life like that of the angels forever, beyond telling.
Lord who does good,
multiply and inspire praise beyond words that cannot be silenced,
through the peoples of all nations and the ages of all times,
so that you might keep the gates of hope open for entry,
for the glory of your exaltation
and as salvation for condemned people like me,
to whom Christ gives the gift of immortality.
Praise forever.
Amen.
Prayer 51 D, E
