In_PRP some_DT0 cultures_NN2 ,_PUN a_AT0 woman_NN1 who_PNQ has_VHZ been_VBN widowed_VVN or_CJC who_PNQ loses_VVZ a_AT0 child_NN1 wears_VVZ black_AJ0 for_PRP a_AT0 year_NN1 to_TO0 signal_VVI her_DPS mourning_NN1 ._SENT Her_DPS face_NN1 too_AV0 wears_VVZ the_AT0 marks_NN2 of_PRF grief_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 sparkle_NN1 in_PRP her_DPS eyes_NN2 gives_VVZ way_NN1 to_PRP ready_AJ0 tears_NN2 and_CJC her_DPS gait_NN1 becomes_VVZ heavy_AJ0 from_PRP sorrow_NN1 ._SENT Such_DT0 is_VBZ the_AT0 image_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 city_NN1 of_PRF Jerusalem_NP0 in_PRP today’s_NP0 first_ORD reading_NN1 ._SENT 
Baruch_NP0 characterizes_VVZ the_AT0 devastated_AJ0 city_NN1 as_PRP a_AT0 woman_NN1 in_PRP mourning_VVG for_PRP her_DPS exiled_AJ0 children_NN2 who_PNQ have_VHB been_VBN forcibly_AV0 taken_VVN away_AV0 from_PRP her_PNP by_PRP the_AT0 Babylonians_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 prophet_NN1 declares_VVZ that_CJT it_PNP is_VBZ time_NN1 for_PRP Jerusalem_NP0 to_TO0 exchange_VVI her_DPS robe_NN1 of_PRF mourning_NN1 and_CJC misery_NN1 for_PRP a_AT0 brilliant_AJ0 new_AJ0 mantle_NN1 ._SENT Her_DPS new_AJ0 cloak_NN1 is_VBZ spun_VVN from_PRP justice_NN1 and_CJC glory_NN1 from_PRP God_NP0 ._SENT If_CJS she_PNP despaired_VVD for_PRP her_DPS children_NN2 ,_PUN thinking_VVG God_NP0 had_VHD forgotten_VVN them_PNP ,_PUN the_AT0 prophet_NN1 insists_VVZ that_DT0 “_NN1 they_PNP are_VBB remembered_VVN by_PRP God_NP0 ”_NP0 (_PUL Bar_NN1 ._SENT 5_CRD :_PUN 5_CRD )_PUR ._SENT 
The_AT0 humiliation_NN1 of_PRF their_DPS forced_AJ0 march_NN1 into_PRP exile_NN1 on_PRP foot_NN1 will_VM0 be_VBI undone_VVN by_PRP their_DPS being_VBG carried_VVN back_AVP aloft_AV0 ,_PUN as_CJS if_CJS they_PNP were_VBD royalty_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 heights_NN2 of_PRF despair_NN1 and_CJC the_AT0 depths_NN2 of_PRF depression_NN1 will_VM0 be_VBI leveled_VVN out_AVP ._SENT It_PNP is_VBZ not_XX0 that_CJT the_AT0 suffering_NN1 is_VBZ forgotten_VVN ,_PUN or_CJC that_CJT anything_PNI could_VM0 go_VVI back_AVP to_PRP being_VBG the_AT0 way_NN1 it_PNP was_VBD before_PRP the_AT0 tragedy_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC now_AV0 the_AT0 divine_AJ0 gift_NN1 of_PRF joy_NN1 settles_VVZ over_PRP the_AT0 grieving_AJ0 mother_NN1 as_PRP rebuilding_VVG life_NN1 out_AVP of_PRF the_AT0 ruins_NN2 begins_VVZ ._SENT The_AT0 returnees_NN2 are_VBB led_VVN by_PRP God’s_NP0 light_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC their_DPS companions_NN2 are_VBB mercy_NN1 and_CJC justice_NN1 ._SENT 
This_DT0 time_NN1 of_PRF pandemic_AJ0 has_VHZ felt_VVN like_PRP a_AT0 kind_NN1 of_PRF exile_NN1 for_PRP us_PNP ,_PUN too_AV0 ,_PUN hasn’t_VVB it_PNP ?_SENT On_PRP top_NN1 of_PRF that_DT0 ,_PUN migrants_NN2 and_CJC refugees_NN2 at_PRP our_DPS borders_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC victims_NN2 of_PRF violence_NN1 in_PRP our_DPS cities_NN2 are_VBB all_AV0 struggling_VVG to_TO0 rebuild_VVI life_NN1 out_AVP of_PRF the_AT0 ruins_NN2 ._SENT Like_PRP Jerusalem_NP0 in_PRP Baruch’s_NP0 time_NN1 ,_PUN there_EX0 is_VBZ no_AT0 going_VVG back_AVP to_PRP what_DTQ was_VBD before_AV0 ,_PUN but_CJC we_PNP let_VVB God’s_NP0 motherly_AJ0 care_NN1 enfold_VVB us_PNP with_PRP mercy_NN1 and_CJC justice_NN1 as_PRP our_DPS companions_NN2 ._SENT With_PRP them_PNP we_PNP can_VM0 move_VVI toward_PRP healing_NN1 ,_PUN restoration_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC the_AT0 chance_NN1 for_PRP a_AT0 new_AJ0 beginning_NN1 ._SENT 
In_PRP the_AT0 gospel_NN1 ,_PUN John_NP0 the_AT0 Baptist_NN1 also_AV0 announces_VVZ a_AT0 chance_NN1 for_PRP a_AT0 new_AJ0 beginning_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 narrative_NN1 starts_VVZ on_PRP an_AT0 ominous_AJ0 note_NN1 ,_PUN reminding_VVG us_PNP of_PRF the_AT0 power_NN1 that_CJT Pontius_NP0 Pilate_NP0 ,_PUN Herod_NP0 ,_PUN Annas_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC Caiaphas_NP0 hold_NN1 ._SENT We_PNP already_AV0 know_VVB the_AT0 end_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 story_NN1 ._SENT And_CJC so_AV0 it_PNP is_VBZ with_PRP some_DT0 urgency_NN1 we_PNP hear_VVB John’s_NP0 invitation_NN1 to_TO0 repent_VVI :_PUN to_TO0 turn_VVI away_AV0 from_PRP personal_AJ0 choices_NN2 that_CJT impede_VVB God’s_NN2 coming_VVG and_CJC collectively_AV0 turn_VVB toward_PRP divine_AJ0 mercy_NN1 ._SENT 
Using_VVG Isaiah’s_NP0 words_NN2 ,_PUN John_NP0 first_ORD speaks_VVZ in_PRP imperatives_NN2 :_PUN prepare_VVB and_CJC make_VVB straight_AV0 the_AT0 way_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC then_AV0 the_AT0 verbs_NN2 shift_VVB to_PRP the_AT0 passive_AJ0 voice_NN1 ,_PUN implying_VVG that_CJT it_PNP will_VM0 be_VBI the_AT0 Coming_AJ0 One_PNI himself_PNX who_PNQ will_VM0 do_VDI the_AT0 filling_NN1 in_AVP of_PRF the_AT0 valleys_NN2 and_CJC leveling_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 mountains_NN2 ,_PUN straightening_VVG out_AVP winding_AJ0 roads_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC smoothing_VVG the_AT0 rough_AJ0 ways_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 Coming_AJ0 One_PNI does_VDZ not_XX0 eliminate_VVI the_AT0 suffering_NN1 and_CJC sorrow_NN1 along_PRP life’s_NN1 path_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC fills_VVZ us_PNP with_PRP saving_VVG joy_NN1 ,_PUN justice_NN1 ,_PUN forgiveness_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC mercy_NN1 as_CJS we_PNP open_VVB ourselves_PNX to_PRP the_AT0 great_AJ0 things_NN2 God_NP0 has_VHZ done_VDN and_CJC continues_VVZ to_TO0 do_VDI for_PRP us_PNP ._SENT 
