Even the fool. . .

Even the fool. The highway the Lord shall establish to recover His lost people is called the Way of Holiness and the unclean shall not pass over it but the fool shall not go astray. . . Now there is a verse to hold onto. The Lord distinguishes between the unclean (unrepentant) and the fool (the unlearned, the simple) shall not wander from it. Think how St. Paul distinguishes the between the foolishness of the Gospel and the wisdom of the world. Those whom the world counts as the simple, the unlearned, or the foolish, they shall not be so regarded by the Lord. Again the contrast here is with the world who values the wisdom of those they deem wise even if their hearts are poisoned by pride, arrogance, conceit, and selfishness. The people of God are so often regarded as fools by the world precisely because they do not buy into the same value system and their reason is directed by their faith (not the other way around). Though many may live a humbler character of life, this is not about crude and bare circumstance. This is again the juxtaposition of human learning (erudition) and worldly wisdom with the path of faith. Think how our Savior preached the Gospel to the poor and visited with His presence those marginalized and disdained by the mighty. Recall the words of the Magnificat and St. Mary's song of the proud sent empty away and the humble whom the Lord lifts up. Fools like me rejoice in the promise in this verse. What about you?

As we approach the Manger again, let us come as those with a great sense of wonder, who marvel in the night what God has done. It is childlike, to be sure, but unless you become like a child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God. As we approach the blessing night when we commemorate the Nativity of our Lord, let us likewise pray for the foolishness of faith and the childlike heart that continues to approach the mystery of the incarnation with the wonder of faith. What Child is this, indeed!
The Ransomed Shall Return (ESV)

35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
    the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
2 it shall blossom abundantly
    and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
    the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
    the majesty of our God.

3 Strengthen the weak hands,
    and make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who have an anxious heart,
    “Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
    will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
    He will come and save you.”

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
    and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
    and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
    and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
    the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

8 And a highway shall be there,
    and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
    It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
    even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there,
    nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
    but the redeemed shall walk there.
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
    and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
    they shall obtain gladness and joy,
    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.