The season of Advent begins with a recognition of the all embracing nature of the saving power of God. The mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest mountain. All nations shall stream toward it. God is not just for this people or this nation or even this religion. God is for everyone. The vision of peace in Isaiah flows out of the universal nature of the family of God. However, we live in a age which seeks to divide. Make the borders, the differences, the opposition clear. The Advent message is that what matters are commonalities, not differences. We reach out to the immigrant, to the stranger, to the foreigner because we see in them the family resemblance to Jesus. The coming of the Son of God into humanity changed the nature of humanity since we share, if you will, the God gene since Jesus is our elder brother.
