Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, have you ever felt like Zion, the desolate city crying out, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forsaken me.” (Isaiah 49:14)? Our hearts are sometimes weary, burdened by problems, trials; and doubts easily creep in like a relentless desert wind, gradually eroding our spirit. Those who have encountered this moment of spiritual dryness and desolation understand better this message of Isaiah.
The Dark Night of the Soul
John of the Cross, a Spanish mystic of the 16th century, termed this spiritual experience “The Dark Night of the Soul”. He described it as a necessary phase in a person’s spiritual journey as it is marked by a sense of loneliness, desolation, and feeling of abandonment by God. It involves the purification of the soul, the stripping away of the ego, and the preparation of one’s life for a deeper, more intimate union with God. It seems that there are spiritual experiences we can only have during this dark night of the soul.
This dark night of the soul was probably the experience of the Israelites, when God, through the prophet Isaiah, delivered to them this message of hope. Isaiah’s message contains a timeless truth: God Never Forgets His People. God’s promise remains eternal: “In an acceptable time I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you,” says the Lord to his people. This acceptable time isn’t a singular event that should be attributed to the past, but rather God’s constant presence, His enduring love that surrounds us even when we go through the wilderness experience.
The Imagery in Isaiah’s Message is a Beautiful One, Full of Hope
Mountains become smooth roads means that the Lord will remove obstacles that prevent us from accessing his divine grace and beatitude. God will make springs erupt in the desert of our lives and quench our thirst for purpose and peace. “Blessed are those who hunger and taste for righteousness for they shall be satisfied.” God assures us: “They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down, for He who has pity on them, will lead them, and by spirits of water will guide them (Isaiah 49:10).
God’s Promise of Old Extends to Us Today
The challenges we face as Christians everyday may be different from the Israelite’s exile, but the core need remains: a quest for God’s unwavering presence. The mountains of difficulty may loom large, but as Isaiah prophesied, God will turn them into new roads. He is capable of turning obstacles of our life into opportunities for His grace to shine through.
Isaiah further speaks of a glorious restoration: “Sing for Joy, O heaven! Be joyful, O earth! (v.13). This speaks not just of a future earthly paradise, but of the inner peace and joy that comes from trusting in God’s unfailing love for us. Even in the midst of hardship, a song of faith can arise from our hearts as a testimony of His presence. We find this message of hope in the writing of St Paul when he says: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (Cfr Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Love Beyond Every Human Bond
To those who still doubted, like Zion questioning God’s love, Isaiah offers an emotional reminder: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” God’s love for us is more profound, and more enduring than any human bond. This divine love is better experienced than explained.
So, dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, let us hold fast to this message of hope. Though the path may seem long and desolate, we are not forgotten. God’s love is a constant spring, a reason for us to sing even in the darkest night of our souls.
