New Heaven - New Earth: Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent

“The old has passed away… behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Book of Isaiah is one of the major prophetic books of the Old Testament. The prophet lived in Jerusalem in the 8th century BC. The final chapters of the book speak to a community struggling with disappointment and injustice. Through powerful images, Isaiah offers hope in the form of a renewed world, a promise that God is still at work, creating something new for those who remain faithful.

“Lo, I am about to create new heavens and a new earth… no longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there… They shall live in the houses they build, and eat the fruit of the vineyards they plant.” Isaiah 65:17–21

Though they had returned from exile in Babylon, they were still surrounded by hardship and waiting for God’s promises to unfold. Through the prophet, God offers a breathtaking vision, not just of restored cities or a repaired temple, but of a completely renewed world.

The promise is holistic: joy instead of sorrow, life instead of premature death, security instead of exploitation. It is not only about heaven, but about God’s dream for the earth. It is the vision of a world where justice, peace, and joy are real and lasting. Where people live in the houses they build and eat the fruit they grow. Where no one labors in vain or suffers needlessly.

Reflection

Don’t we all long to live in a world like that?

A world where no one cries alone. Where what we build, we get to keep. Where what we plant, we are allowed to harvest. Where kindness is the norm and not the exception.

God's vision in Isaiah is more than a distant dream. It is an invitation. Lent teaches us that the Kingdom begins small, like a seed, like a gesture, like a word. And we are part of it. We will eat the fruit of what we plant: not just vines, but values. If we sow resentment, we’ll reap bitterness. But if we sow kindness, even in small ways, we participate in the creation of this new heaven and new earth.

The question Isaiah puts before us is this: What kind of world are you building? What seeds are you planting in your heart, your home, your relationships? Are you preparing the ground for joy or for complaint? For peace, or for control?

Even now, God is creating something new. Can we feel it? Can we help it grow?

Prayer

Creator God, your dream is beautiful, and I long to live in it:
A world of joy, justice, peace, and belonging.
Help me sow the seeds that lead there.
Help me choose kindness over anger,
Mercy over frustration,
Trust over fear.
Let my life echo your vision of new heavens and a new earth.
Amen.