There are many couples who have felt the pain that comes from not being able to have children. Among the people of Israel barrenness and the lack of children was looked upon as a shame and as a punishment from God. We see things a little differently today, but the passage from Isaiah still has a profound message for us. It is basically a love poem - God is portrayed as the loving husband and Israel the barren wife. God assures the bride of his eternal love and promises a new beginning and a future -and that is what children signified to the people of Israel. That is what we hold on to: God's love is everlasting and God will continually grant us new life. God's love for us is similar to the love spouses have for one another.

John the Baptist was the greatest of all human beings and yet the least born in the Kingdom of God is greater. This is not an insult to John - it just shows us that with the coming of Jesus humanity has moved to a new level in its journey to God. Those who are open to God's grace receive even greater spiritual gifts and are capable of great spiritual transformation. We are offered much - but we have to be willing to accept it and to take it to heart. There is far more to our faith than an hour on Sunday or just 'being good'. Jesus offers us the opportunity to become like him - how can we possibly give in to negativity or hopelessness with such an offer?