The Repossession of Paradise

Dec 4, 2022 • Bishop Josiah Fearon

Deep in every human heart is a desire to repeat some experiences from the past. Deep within our human memory is a picture of that reality that no longer exists. A time and place that the people of the Bible called Paradise — a time of innocence, a time of peace. Then came the Fall, and Paradise was lost. Though we are far removed from that innocence, peace, and harmony, a memory of Paradise is still present in the background of our lives.

The words of the prophet Isaiah speak to that longing to recover what is now only a memory. Jesus is the new branch Isaiah prophesied — able to withstand the forces of evil and the powers of destruction and death. No wonder his birth which we celebrate at Christmas is so marvelous, and Advent is such an important group of Sundays for us. We are getting ready for the One who brings a new world.

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