The Institute for Christian Formation
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Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
December 11, 2012
On this second Tuesday in Advent, let us turn to the Prophet Isaiah.  This great prophet is certainly an important Advent figure.  Writing in the second half of the 8th century B.C., Isaiah's prophecies include the birth of Immanuel. The image of the Prophet Isaiah pictured here dates to the 11th century (1042-1056) and is a mosaic done in the Byzantine tradition. Located at the Nea Moni Monastery in Chios, Greece, the scroll Isaiah is holding is one of Isaiah's Immanuel prophecies.  Based on Isaiah 7:14, this scroll says "Behold the Virgin shall conceive in her womb."              

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah is proclaimed frequently  in our Advent liturgies.  Spend some time this Advent Season in prayerful reflection with the Prophet Isaiah.  What do you think Isaiah's message is for us today?

Look up Isaiah 7:14 in your Bible. Invite children to draw a scroll and to write this Bible verse on their scroll.  Teens and adults might even want to create a mosaic, such as the one pictured here.  You can access information about making a Byzantine mosaic here.
Today's First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah is Isaiah 40:1-11.  This reading begins with the words, "Comfort, give comfort to my people."  As you light your Advent Wreath this evening, sing the Advent hymn, "Comfort, Comfort Ye My People."  You can download this hymn here.
Did you know that the Israel Museum in Jerusalem has posted the Dead Sea Scrolls on line?  The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls they have posted includes the Great Isaiah Scroll, one of the original seven Dead Sea Scrolls found in Qumran in 1947.  You can learn more about this scroll and view it on line here.
Do you live in the vicinity of Cincinnati, Ohio, or will you be visiting this city during the next few months?  If so, you have a marvelous opportunity to visit a spectacular exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center, "Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Ancient Times."  This exhibit begins November 16, 2012 and is scheduled to continue into April 2013.  Witness the largest and most comprehensive collection of ancient artifacts from Israel ever organized in Dead Sea Scrolls: Life and Faith in Ancient Times at Cincinnati Museum Center. Considered among the world’s greatest archaeological discoveries, the Dead Sea Scrolls contain the oldest known copies of the Hebrew Bible and the ancient handwritten texts of the words that shaped the future of the Western world. Of the more than 600 objects from the Biblical to Byzantine Period including religious articles, weapons of war, stone carvings, textiles, ceramics and fragments of the Scrolls, many have never been publicly exhibited before now.  There is wonderful programming at the Center for this exhibit, including numerous programs for families with children.  For more information, click here.  Tickets to this exhibit would make a lovely Christmas gift!