INEVITABLE SUFFERINGS OF THE SERVANT


TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK    

Isa 49:1-6; Ps 70:1-6,15,17; Jn 13:21-33,36-38

Sorrows of The Servant of God

It is overwhelming for any human person to step in and play the role of God. Mere human nature cannot carry the weight of God’s providential care over his creatures unaided. It is made even more difficult in our present condition when we have to deal with people of unclean hearts and lips. The sinful condition of the people makes the vocation and mission of the Servant of Yahweh a very difficult one; it gives the sacrifice of the Servant an unsavoury taste and flavour. In these bitter tastes and flavours lies the sacrifice by which the Servant brings about redemption for the people. Acting through the humble and obedient submission of the Servant to his divine will, God uses his sufferings to lift the people who are submerged in the darkness of sin and evil to salvation and freedom. The Servant vicariously suffers darkness and evil for the redemption of those overwhelmed by sin and dark forces. The psalmist expresses the faith and hope with which the Servant goes through his trials. “In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, free me: pay heed to me and save me. Be a rock where I can take refuge, a mighty stronghold to save me; for you are my rock, my stronghold. Free me from the hand of the wicked.” God hears the prayer of the Servant because it is made in innocence and purity of heart. His innocence also makes him not only the vicar of sinners, but also of God.

The second prophecy of Isaiah concerning the Servant of Yahweh relates what the Servant knows about his mission and his humble acceptance and submission to the divine will to us. “Islands, listen to me, pay attention, remotest peoples. The Lord called me before I was born, from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name. He made my mouth a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in his quiver.” It would seem that this knowledge of the Servant is a hind-knowledge because it did not safeguard him from the pains and bitterness of the vicarious suffering for sinners. Thus, he continued: “He (God) said to me, ‘You are my servant in whom I shall be glorified’; while I was thinking, ‘I have toiled in vain, I have exhausted myself for nothing’; and all the while my cause was with the Lord, my reward with my God. I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength.” The purity of the Servant’s heart, which helps him to know and believe firmly in God, did not shield him from the pain of his suffering; only his faith in God saw him through his ordeals. Through that faith, God is made present in his situation.

The Servant of Yahweh represents all men of goodwill, who desire to accomplish the will of God in all things. The Son of Man is first in this group because in him is found the perfection of our human nature, which God created to house his sacred word or will. The Gospel reveals the deep sorrow of the Son of Man, knowing that one of his apostles will betray him. In spite of the union of his human nature with the divine nature, he still felt the acute pain of the betrayal because of his love for them. “While at supper with his disciples, Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, ‘I tell you most solemnly, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples looked at one another, wondering which he meant.” None of us is exempt from such pain and sorrow due to the limitations of our human nature and the sinful condition in which we find ourselves. Each of us shares in the mission of the Servant of Yahweh to the extent we exercise faith and sacrifice ourselves through the acceptance of these trials for the love of Christ and the salvation of souls. On the other hand, we also share in the work of evil and the betrayer when we live and pay no attention to the Covenant in his blood, the mystery in which we participate daily as we break his body and drink his blood. Asked who was to betray him, Jesus answered: “‘It is the one to whom I give the piece of bread that I shall dip in the dish.’ He dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. At that instant, after Judas had taken the bread, Satan entered him.” He received the Sacrament without understanding the Covenant between God and us, symbolised by the Son of Man.

Let us pray: Almighty ever-living God, grant us so to celebrate the mysteries of the Lord’s Passion that we may merit to receive your pardon. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. 

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