Today's readings speak of the perversity of humankind which saddens God who "takes care of the way the virtuous go" (Psalm1:6), yet is ignored. Isaiah tells of the Israelites in exile in Babylon who are released by the Persian King Cyrus when he conquers Babylon. They should have listened to "I, the Lord your God" who teaches "you what is good for you" (Is. 48:17) but perversely they were not alert to the commandments of their "Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" (Is. 48:17), and so they were cut off and had to spend many years in exile.

Isaiah's reminder of the Israelites' waywardness is echoed in Matthew's Gospel where Jesus solemnly denounces His people for their refusal to recognise and to respond to God's call. They are childishly self-willed and petulant, neither accepting John the Baptist's ascetism, nor Jesus' loving invitation to accept God's grace. They use whatever excuse available to remain aloof. They reject Jesus and His disciples, their preaching and their miracles, and yet these are what vindicate Jesus and His disciples: "Wisdom has been proved right by her actions" (Mt. 11:19).

Seven hundred years separate Isaiah's lament from that of Jesus. Today, so many, many more years later, our reception of God's message is often similarly perverse. Our silence when God calls can be more worthy of rebuke than open hostility.