too good to be true

Isaiah 2:1-5; Ps 122 Let us go rejoicing to the house of the lord; Mt 8:5-11

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"Come let us climb the mountain of the Lord, tot he house of the God of JAcob, that he may instruct us in his ways and we may walk in his paths...They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the word against another, nor shall they train for war again, O house of Jacob, come, Let us walk in the light of the Lord."

The words of the prophet Isaiah seem too good to be true.

Think about it: "Swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks and never training for war again."

This seems like a pipe dream. Look around the world. Look at all the conflict building. The tensions rises between nations who are neighbors:Israel and Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Russia, the countries in Africa.

There is so much violence and sickness, and starvation, and malnutrition.

IT seems impossible to think about peace reigning, and swords and spears becoming plowshares and pruning hooks. Especially when we look in the world and see explosives, nuclear warheads, and germ warfare, and biological weapons.

Frankly, No one is concerned with swords and spears anymore.

So what do we do with this bit of hope that seems false from the lips of the prophet Isaiah.

We make it a reality in our daily lives. We begin to climb the mountain of the Lord. We stop violence and sickness and hatred and all the rest by the choices we make and the good we fight for.

IT starts with one heart at a time. Victory comes in small amounts in a small scale primarily before it ever becomes large scale.

As the Psalmist tells us, "may peace be within your walls and your buildings."

Secondly we do what the last line of the psalm invites us to do, "Because of the house of the Lord, I will pray for your good."

Prayer prepares the heart for action. Inventory what and how you pray.

Slowly this pipe dream will become a reality, one heart at a time.

Then perhaps we too like the centurion in the gospel can amaze Jesus with our faith put in action.