It is impossible for me to listen to these words from Isaiah and not hear the baritone part of Handel's Messiah somewhere in the back of my mind. No matter how many times I read or meditate on this passage, the same music courses through my soul. I guess that's a good thing.

For many of us, certain events or words serve as triggers for memories or thoughts. There are some things that cause us to smile, some that cause us to wince, and some that stir the fertile substance of hope in our hearts. Isn't that true? Can we hear the strains of an old tune from days gone by and not set off down memory lane? Can we look at old photographs of family or friends without feeling something? Can we hear a recording of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, "I Have a Dream" speech without a chill passing through us?…