| Isaiah 35:1
| The land that was desolate and impassable, shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice, and shall flourish like the lily.
| Lily. Judea flourishes under Ezechias: but the Church does more so after the coming of Christ, to whom these expressions conduct us. (Calmet) --- The Gentiles shall be converted and flourish, as this text shews. (Worthington)
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| Isaiah 35:2
| It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall rejoice with joy and praise: the glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the beauty of our God.
| Joy. The primitive Christians rejoiced in a good conscience, and in suffering for the truth.
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| Isaiah 35:3
| Strengthen ye the feeble hands, and confirm the weak knees.
| Knees. Ye prophets, comfort the people with these promises. (Calmet) --- The apostles taught the Gentiles to do good. (Menochius)
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| Isaiah 35:4
| Say to the faint-hearted: Take courage, and fear not: behold, your God will bring the revenge of recompense: God himself will come and will save you.
| Recompense. Christ will satisfy the justice of his Father. (Haydock) --- He will redeem the world, and refute the false interpretations of the Bible. (Calmet) --- He will bring the devil into subjection. (Menochius)
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| Isaiah 35:5
| Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
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| Isaiah 35:6
| Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.
| Free. Our Saviour healed both soul and body, (Calmet) shewing by his works (John x.; Worthington) that he had fulfilled this prediction, Luke 7:22., and Matthew 11:5. --- Waters. Baptism has sanctified the most wicked.
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| Isaiah 35:7
| And that which was dry land, shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. In the dens, where dragons dwelt before, shall rise up the verdure of the reed and the bulrush.
| Dragons. Sea monsters, Isaias 34:13. (Calmet) --- All shall be in proper order, neither too dry nor too wet. (Haydock)
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| Isaiah 35:8
| And a path and a way shall be there, and it shall be called the holy way: the unclean shall not pass over it, and this shall be unto you a straight way, so that fools shall not err therein.
| Way, leading to Jerusalem. Idolaters, etc., shall not be there, Isaias 52:1. This was only verified (Calmet) in the Catholic Church, where, though some wicked may be found, the truth still prevails; and holiness can be obtained no where else. (Haydock) --- This Church is unspotted, Ephesians 5:27. (Calmet) --- Fools. The most simple may learn what is necessary for salvation, (Menochius) which will never be done by consulting Scripture alone. (Haydock)
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| Isaiah 35:9
| No lion shall be there, nor shall any mischievous beast go up by it, nor be found there: but they shall walk there that shall be delivered.
| Lion. The devil's power shall be repressed, so that none will be deluded except by their own fault. (Menochius)
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| Isaiah 35:10
| And the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and shall come into Sion with praise, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
| Sion. Before the defeat of Sennacherib, the roads were unsafe, Isaias 38:8. (Calmet)
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