TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s Old Testament reading (Is 50:4-7), as we begin Holy Week is Isaiah’s third servant song, vividly prophesying what the future Messiah would endure. The commentary following deals with the entire reading and beyond (through v. 11). The passage starts off this way:

“The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue…”

“The third ‘Servant Song’ in Isaiah. Here the Servant is a prophet who speaks God’s word, even as he suffers at the hands of his persecutors. Again, he represents the people of Israel and yet is distinct from them: unlike Israel in exile, whose ‘ear has not been opened’ and who continues to be a ‘rebel’ ()48:8), the servant says that ‘God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious (50:5).

“Christian tradition sees these verses fulfilled in the Passion of Jesus…When the savior was struck, he endured it patiently; when he was reviled, he did not revile; when he suffered, he did not threaten. Instead, he gave his back to those who beat him, his cheeks to their blows, and his face he did not turn from their spitting. Finally, he accepted death, giving us an image of virtue and an example for conducting ourselves (St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Festal Epistles 10, 7).” (Isaiah [Ignatius Catholic Study Bible], 87-88)

This short passage is a wonderful model for the evangelist (that should be all of us). The Lord gives each of us certain talents.to “rouse” the weary (including us, if applicable) from a slumber of indifference, doubt, despair, or unbelief. We are to listen daily for God’s voice, that our hearts will be moved and our mission will be clear (dialogue with God in prayer and by reading Scripture to hear Him speaking to you and to help train that tongue).

In responding to the Lord’s call in this way, we can count on persecution. Maybe not physically, as Isaiah has it, but certainly psychologically and emotionally. Do we humbly and patiently endure the blows, the slaps, the shame, the spitting that come our way? If we are like Christ (and no servant is greater than his Master then we may well find it necessary to deal with all these difficulties and more.

Our response? We are to be resolute in being convicted of the truth and making sure that we persevere in spreading it far and wide. Counting on the Lord God to help us, as he promises, we will not be put to shame with the One who matters, despite what the world thinks. Jesus constantly has us looking above and beyond this mortal coil for true fulfillment and happiness. We can count on it for eternity if we stay faithful.

Let us then go to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach that he bore.
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come. (Heb 13:13-14)

God bless.