There are three featured players in the season of Advent: the prophet Isaiah, St. John the Baptist, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the beginning of Advent Isaiah plays the starring role. His vision of the coming triumph of God helped to shape the Church’s vision of the Messianic Age. So pervasive was Isaiah’s influence that certain Fathers of the Church referred to his book of prophecies as “the fifth Gospel.” Themes we inherit from Isaiah that we need to be aware of aware of during our Advent reflections include: the universal character of the Messiah, they come from East and West to his table; the compassion of the Messiah, He judges justly but with mercy; the welcome extended to the poor by the Messiah.
