Divine Comfort in Divine Glory upon Coming of Christ the Good Shepherd King – Tuesday of Second Week of Advent

 In the First Reading of Tuesday of Second Week of Advent (Isaiah 40:1-11) is taken from the first 11 verses of what is known as Deutero-Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55), giving comforting hope amidst of Israelites’ dark time during the Babylonian exile. This is also known as the Book of Comfort. In this reading, we hear God’s prophetic voice of comfort (Isaiah 40:1-2; cf. Isaiah 51:3; 52:9), God’s expectation for us to prepare to receive the incarnated Christ (Isaiah 40:3-4), God’s assurance of the coming of His only begotten Son, Christ, appearing in a visible and tangible form (Isaiah 40:5), God’s command to proclaim the good news of receiving Christ, who is the Word immutable though everything else comes and go (Isaiah 40:6-9; cf. John 1:1, 14; cf. Matthew 24:35), and His promise for the incarnated Christ as the Good Shepherd King (Isaiah 40:10-11).

The prophet Isaiah challenges us by asking: Did you hear what I hear the Lord speaking (i.e. Isaiah 40:21)?

The glory of God through the incarnated Christ, whose arrival that we have been preparing during Advent Season, shall be revealed to us in series of theophanies, starting with his nativity, subsequent appearances of him, like appearing to the Magi, and through his signs, and in his death on the Cross, in his Resurrection, in his Ascension, and in his return as the King.

The Gospel Reading (Matthew 18:12-14) describes how the incarnated Christ as the Good Shepherd cares for us, his sheep, echoing Isaiah 40:10-11. He is the Good Shepherd, who goes even a long way to redeem a lost sheep to his fold, reflecting John 10:1-18.

On Tuesday of Second Week of Advent, we are reminded that our Advent Preparation with vigilance and diligence will entitle us to comfort and care by the incarnated Christ the Good Shepherd King, who comes to redeem us from where we have gone lost and astray. In his fold, there is comfort. And because he, the incarnated Word, stands forever, though anything else in the universe is subject to change, the comfort in his fold and care endures forever. But, first and foremost, we must be well-prepared to receive him in our hearts for this benefit to come upon his arrival.