(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)
The prophet speaks of new heavens and a new earth, a time when the things of the past are no longer remembered. Then newness will be so great that the old will be forgotten.
One hundred nine years ago almost to the week, Dayton endured the famous 1913 flood. Many died, many animals perished, much damage to property. In today’s economy, the damage would have been over two billion dollars. As a result, five dams were built to control the flow of water into the Dayton area. Few, if any, now remember that flood.
Dayton had another flood in 1937, smaller in scope than the 1909 flood. My mom and dads lived through it, but few people remember it.
Many cities in Ukraine no longer exist because of the shellings that have devastated them. The memory of these cities is very much alive. Someday, their residents hope to rebuild these cities. Eventually they hope that the memory of the destruction and terror of today will fade in the newness of reconstruction and peace.
The words of the prophet encouraged his compatriots in their rebuilding of towns and lives after Exile. His words have encouraged many Israelites after them when they were experiencing persecution, war and the devastation of their homes.
The words likewise can encourage us. We may not have endured wars and harassments such as earlier generations or other places have, but we have experienced sin and its effects in our liv es. We have set ourselves this Lent to do penance. God’s word tells us that God wants to complexly transform our lives so that we do not have to remember the past of our sins because oof the joy of God’s presence in us.
Easter is that end-time in mystery. The end-time in fact is hidden from our eyes. In the Easter mystery, we are challenged to see God at work in Christ, making the new heavens and a new earth.