A Message from the holy prophet Isaiah to Catholic Workers
at the National Catholic Worker Gathering in Iowa:

Opening up my email folder, imagine my surprise to find this message from the ancient prophet Isaiah. Isaiah said that this message was for the Catholic Workers at the National Catholic Worker Gathering in Iowa .

Dear Catholic Workers:

Congratulations on your continued hard work and dedication to the works of mercy and peacemaking. All of us here in the Cloud of Witnesses are thankful for your lives of dedication.

Back when I was there on earth I wrote:

"In days to come, The mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us climb the Lord's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That God may instruct us in God's ways, and we may walk in God's paths." ….. God shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.

Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! "

And now, in these days of the US Empire, more than ever we need to turn from the ways of the Empire, and learn God's ways, and walk in God's paths. We have to take our instruction from God, not from the culture. We need to address issues of justice: Why are the poor ground down into the dirt? Why are so many resources and so much money spent on chariots and horses?

So I ask you: How are we going to hammer those swords, those nuclear weapons, those conventional weapons into tractors and windmills?

What can we do together to resist the domination of space, the targeting of people by satellite, the use of drone planes to drop bombs, the use of radioactive weapons by the US military?

Many of you have begun to hammer the swords into plowshares! Yes, and you have begun to convert your own hearts. And yet, as I listen to your concerns and prayers, I hear many doubts that rise in your hearts:

• doubt about the usefulness of resistance

• doubt about long prison sentences

• doubt about your family's reactions to arrest, felony charges, and prison time

• doubt about your career choice with felony convictions.

• doubt about the ability of your community to continue works of charity if members are imprisoned

Listen, I had doubts, too. Doubt gives us a chance to explore, to go deeper in prayer, to re-commit ourselves.I remember when God called me and the other ancient prophets; we had all sorts of excuses. “I'm too old,” “I'm too young,” “too sinful”, “can't speak to groups,” “no one will listen to me.”

But God said, “Nonsense. I'm calling you, despite your inadquacies..” “Whom shall I send, Will you go for me?”
And I said, and I've never regretted it, “Here I am, send me.”

God never promised that people would listen to me. I had to say the same message over and over again.

And now, it's up to you.

God still is asking, “Whom shall I send?”

And if you pray about this vision, of weapons converted into plowshares, I will be there with you.

Blessings,
Isaiah.

(this email was sent to Susan Crane who transmitted it to the Catholic Worker Gathering in Iowa)