FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
OUR THEME FOR 2021
(Part 18)
OUR MISSION – 9
March 29, 2021
Today’s readings:
Isaiah 42:1-7
Psalm 27:1-14
John 12:1-11
Today’s reading from Isaiah is the first of four “servant of the Lord” oracles. The servant prefigures Jesus, the suffering servant. As we are all servants of Jesus, it can also refer to us, as individuals, as groups, or as the whole body of Christ.
God says of the servant, “I formed you, and set you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.” (Is 42:6b). God calls and forms us, enters into covenant with us, and sends us forth to bring His light and salvation to the whole world. We meet and know Christ, we live Christ, and we share Christ. Such is our purpose in life.
Specifically, to be light to the Gentiles and instruments of salvation, what are we to do? We are to be instruments of God’s justice to and for the world. This is our call: “I, the Lord, have called you for justice, I have grasped you by the hand.” (Is 42:6a). God empowers us to live out this call: “Upon him I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations.” (Is 42:1b). Justice is giving to every person what is his due. To God is due awe and worship. To our fellow human beings is due respect. To the poor is due an equitable share in the world’s goods. To all is due the proclamation of the good news of salvation in Jesus.
Such justice is what sets people free from oppression and dominion of the evil one. It is intended:
* “to open the eyes of the blind” (Is 42:7a). We will know the truth which sets us free, and the truth is Jesus. We will know right from wrong. We will see how we are being dominated by the world, the flesh and the devil. We will know the way out of sin, and that way is Jesus.
* “to bring out prisoners from confinement” (Is 42:7b). We will be liberated from the dominion of the evil one. We will not have to live our lives under enslavement to sin. We enter into God’s dominion. “The Lord is my life’s refuge” (Ps 27:1c).
* to bring out “from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.” (Is 42:7c). Freed from the prison of sin and the pervasive darkness of the world, we are brought to the light, and the light is Jesus. “The Lord is my light and my salvation” (Ps 27:1a).
When God’s people work for justice, they become warriors embroiled in the spiritual war that rages in the heavens and on earth. There are three enemies—those from outside, those inside the Church including those in the hierarchy, and those in one’s one group or circle.
* Since the whole world is under the dominion of the evil one, our enemy numbers those on the outside world, a world steeped in sin and darkness. It is those who advance the culture of death. It is those who assault faith, family and life. We have our “enemies on every side!” (Ps 27:6b).
* Then there is the enemy within. These are those professed Catholics who advance the culture of death. They include pro-LGBT clerics and bishops who no longer teach the authentic faith. By their wrong and false teaching, they confuse Catholics and lead them to perdition and spiritual death. It is hard to imagine at times that bishops and Cardinals would have already strayed from the faith and do things against the way of Jesus. But it was the case in his time, when the Sanhedrin plotted against him “and the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too” (Jn 12:10).
* Then there is the enemy within Catholic groups themselves. At times, those in leadership or in leadership core groups are the ones to veer away and oppose the mission of the group, causing strife and division. Hard as it is to imagine, there was also one in Jesus’ core group of twelve. It was “Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him” (Jn 12:4).
Given all these enemies, we should try to ensure that we ourselves do not become one of them! How can this be assured?
* We must desire to be with God, in the here and now, and especially in the hereafter. “One thing I ask of the Lord, this I seek: to dwell in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, to gaze on the Lord’s beauty, to visit his temple.” (Ps 27:4).
* We must worship God, and offer ourselves as a sacrifice of praise. “I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and chant praise to the Lord.” (Ps 27:6b).
* We must turn to God for mercy and for salvation. “Hear my voice, Lord, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me. …. You are my salvation; do not cast me off; do not forsake me, God my savior!” (Ps 27:7,9b).
* We must follow in the footsteps of Jesus. “Lord, show me your way; lead me on a level path” (Ps 27:11).
* We as holy warriors must find our strength, courage and endurance in God. “Wait for the Lord, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the Lord!” (Ps 27:14).
With the above, we can confidently move forward. As holy warriors of the Lord, we have nothing to fear (Ps 27:1). God Himself fights for us, and our “enemies and foes themselves stumble and fall.” (Ps 27:2b). Even given powerful enemies all around us, we put our full trust in God. “Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear; though war be waged against me, even then do I trust.” (Ps 27:3). We know we belong to and do the work of a victorious God. “Even now my head is held high above my enemies on every side!” (Ps 27:6a).
Arise and onward, holy warriors, and be God’s light to the nations.
