A crushed reed He will not break, a dim wick He will not extinguish.

Isaiah 42,3

The Introit teaches us to sing our Lord´s praises

Praise the Lord, for it is good to sing praises to our God. Yes, praise is pleasant and appropriate. The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem and gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; he names all of them. Our Lord is great and has awesome power; there is no limit to his wisdom.  The Lord lifts up the oppressed but knocks the wicked to the ground… The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.

Psalm 147,1-6.11

The holy prophet Isaiah comforts us in the name of the triune God

In just a very short time Lebanon will turn into an orchard, and the orchard will be considered a forest.
At that time the deaf will be able to hear words read from a scroll, and the eyes of the blind will be able to see through deep darkness. The downtrodden will again rejoice in the Lord; the poor among humankind will take delight in the Holy One of Israel. For tyrants will disappear, those who taunt will vanish, and all those who love to do wrong will be eliminated- those who bear false testimony against a person, who entrap the one who arbitrates at the city gate and deprive the innocent of justice by making false charges. So this is what the Lord, the one who delivered Abraham, has said to the family of Jacob: “Jacob will no longer be ashamed; their faces will no longer show their embarrassment. For when they see their children, whom I will produce among them, they will honor my name. They will honor the Holy One of Jacob; they will respect the God of Israel. Those who stray morally will gain understanding; those who complain will acquire insight.

Isaiah 29,17-24 (Sermon text for this Sunday)

In God´s world, there are no hopeless cases – take Saul for instance:

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats to murder the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, either men or women, he could bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he was going along, approachingDamascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! But stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do.”(Now the men who were traveling with him stood there speechless, because they heard the voice but saw no one.) So Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he could see nothing. Leading him by the hand, his companions brought him into Damascus. For three days he could not see, and he neither ate nor drank anything. Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias,” and he replied, “Here I am, Lord.” Then the Lord told him, “Get up and go to the street called ‘Straight,’and at Judas’ house look for a man from Tarsus named Saul. For he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he may see again.” But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, and here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call on your name!” But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles and kings and the people of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Sauland said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. Hegot up and was baptized, and after taking some food, his strength returned. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This man is the Son of God.” 

Acts 9,1-20

The holy Gospel according to St. Mark

Jesus went out again from the region of Tyre and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had difficulty speaking, and they asked him to place his hands on him. After Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, he put his fingers in the man’ ears, and after spitting, he touched his tongue. Then he looked up to heaven and said with a sigh, “Ephphatha”. And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue loosened, and he spoke plainly.Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But as much as he ordered them not to do this, they proclaimed it all the more. People were completely astounded and said, “He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Mark 7,31-37