Isaiah chapter 44 celebrates the greatness of God, who is the first and the last, and mocks idols made by human hands. In the middle of that message, verse 22 brings one of the most liberating promises of the book: God has blotted out your transgressions as a thick cloud and your sins as a mist. The image is beautiful: just as the cloud dissolves, sins disappear from God's sight. After forgiveness comes the invitation: return to me, for I have redeemed you. Divine redemption is the basis of our return; we do not need to purify ourselves to come back, God has already purified us. Today we are invited to believe that God's forgiveness is as complete as the cloud that dissipates.