Welcome to the Prayers of Rest podcast.

I'm your host, Ashrita Chuchu, and this Advent season, we're praying for joy together, focusing on some traditional and non-traditional Christmas passages.

So take a deep breath and quiet your heart as we become aware of God's loving presence

around us and within us.

Today's passage comes from Isaiah 61 verses 1 to 3.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me. For the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted, and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.

He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come, and with it the day of God's

anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like

great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. Let's begin by reciting God's goodness.

Oh Jesus, you are the promised one, the one who brings to fulfillment,

every prophecy in the Old Testament, every promise that your people were waiting with bated

breath for the Messiah to burst onto the scene. And here in these words in Isaiah, we find

that spirit of expectancy, of waiting, of longing. And you, Jesus, entering this world, you fulfilled

these promises. Jesus, we praise you that you are the one who proclaims freedom to captives and

prisoners. You are the one who brings the day of the Lord's favor. You are the one who through your

birth and your life, your death and your resurrection. You're the one who gives us the crown of beauty instead of ashes,

joy and blessing instead of mourning.

Oh Lord, just as Israel waited for the coming of the Messiah, for the one who would fulfill

these promises, so we now wait for you to return. And Jesus, we praise you because we know,

even as we wait, we know that you will come back, that you will fulfill every promise that you

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