Feast of St. Ambrose (Year C)

Today the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Ambrose (340-397), bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. His homiletical skills attracted St. Augustine. He showed Augustine that one could be intellectual, articulate and courageous and be a Christian at the same time. Christianity was not a religion for weak and silly people ("The Story of Christian Theology", by Roger Olson, pg 258). He baptized St. Augustine and himself one of the Church Fathers.

Today we continue to read Isaiah 35. It is a prophecy of salvation, of God's Chosen People returning from exile. Some of the verses are very encouraging, especially for those who are suffering or are defeated.
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you." (Isaiah 35:3-4)
In the study of Moral Theology, we touched on the importance of freedom. Without freedom, we are not responsible for whatever we have done. Therefore, freedom is one of the basic requirements of ethical behaviours. We will definitely meet a lot of circumstances that prevent us from exercising our freedom. For example, concupiscence, drug abuse, death threats, fear, superstitions and tortures etc. Of course, we are responsible for some of these circumstances ourselves such as concupiscence, drug abuse etc. However, some are beyond our control. In such cases, we Christians believe that God would somehow "provide". Our God will not put us into a test which is greater than our strength can bear. We believe that when He closes the door, He will still leave some more windows open for us. Isaiah had seen this. He comforted those who suffered too much. Tortures may inspire fear, but God will strengthen the fearful hearts.

As a Chinese Catholic, sometimes I feel that the miracles of Jesus were not spectacular enough as compared to the legends of the Monkey King. However, reading the prophets, I now know that the miracles of Jesus were pregnant with meaning. Jesus chose to work miracles that fulfilled the prophecies in the Old Testament. Miracles were signs telling the Jews that the Messiah they had been expecting had come. God was walking among them.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy (Isaiah 35:5-6a).
But how shall we understand the prophecy that follows?
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not pass over it, and fools shall not err therein.
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.
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah 35:6b-10).
Are these lines simply poetic outpour? Are these rhetoric devices that possess no significant meanings?
Where can we find the "Holy Way"? Are these lines to be interpreted allegorically? Why shall there be no lion on the "Holy Way"?
Any suggestions?

Dear Lord, I don't need strong arms and firm knees. I only ask for a contrite heart in this season of Advent. Amen.