The prophet Isaiah gives us a vision of hope, “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.” This image of a stump relays something which has been left finished, cut down, and left beyond repair. Nevertheless, despite such certainty renewal is able to take place in this stump as well as in each of us.
From this stump will a shoot sprout and with it life will be brought forth. This reality is made so through the coming of the Savior. He comes without spectacle and brings forth life to all that He touches. As we continue this Advent journey we must be found willing to look inwardly upon self and to see our disordered habits, our broken relationships, and our spiritual dryness and to allow God to bring forth new life within us.
Saint John the Baptist makes this his message as he cries out, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Through such repentance we are willing to move towards God and to realign our life towards the one who is to come. We can only act in such a manner if we are found willing to be honest in those areas in our life where we resist God and to be found willing to move back towards Him.
As we are told in Saint Matthew’s Gospel that we will, “produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” In such manner good fruit is brought forth despite the certainty of what seems to be finished, cut down, and left beyond repair. Through Christ this sprout will spring forth and life will once again come to triumph in it’s place.
It is this image from Isaiah that is the basis for the Jesse Tree. Through the Jesse Tree the linage of Christ springs forth from the stump of Jesse. The world has been prepared for the coming of the Messiah through the lineage of people such as Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets, and finally Mary and Jesus.
Let our sight be forever set towards such a coming. Through the virtue of hope we can and must prepare for such a coming. He will be found at work within us (even if we feel finished, cut down, and left beyond repair) if we are willing to come to Him without reservation. During this season of Advent let us come to Him in such a manner and thus allow the Lord to prune all that must be pruned in order that we may be sent forth from His midst in order to bear good fruit.
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