Frederick, Maryland,
United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Monday, 14 April 2014 -
Catholic Meditations
Meditations: Isaiah 42:1
“Behold, my servant, whom I uphold;
my chosen, in whom my soul delights—
I have put my Spirit on him.
He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout,
nor raise his voice,
nor cause it to be heard in the street.
3 He won’t break a
bruised reed.
He won’t quench a dimly burning wick.
He will faithfully bring justice.
4 He will not fail nor
be discouraged,
until he has set justice in the earth,
and the islands will wait for his law.”
5 Thus says God Yahweh,
he who created the heavens and stretched
them out,
he who spread out the earth and that which
comes out of it,
he who gives breath to its people and
spirit to those who walk in it.
6 “I, Yahweh, have
called you in righteousness,
and will hold your hand,
and will keep you,
and make you a covenant for the people,
as a light for the nations;
7 to open the blind eyes,
to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon,
and those who sit in darkness out of the
prison.
Monday of Holy Week
He shall bring forth
justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)
Here we are at the
beginning of Holy Week, a time when we focus our attention on Jesus’ suffering
and death. Now, it’s entirely possible for us to relate to these events simply
as onlookers, but we know that we are more than that. Each of us is personally
involved in the events of this week since everything Jesus suffered was for our
sake.
Today’s first reading is
one of the four Songs of the Suffering Servant that appear in the Book of Isaiah.
While the servant’s identity is somewhat mysterious, Christians from the very
first generation have seen in him a foreshadowing of Jesus, the Messiah. The
mission, even the very character, of this servant can give us so many insights
into who Jesus is and why he suffered and died for us.
Key to the servant’s
mission is the call to bring justice to the world. Of course, we can imagine
this kind of justice as focusing on revenge, anger, and violence—a kind of
vigilante justice. But that’s not the justice of God. His justice combines
tenacity and strength with gentleness and compassion. It’s focused on caring
for the weakest and hurting among us. He is concerned not so much with holding
each of us to account for every fault as he is with restoring to all of
creation what was lost through sin. So in God’s justice, we are the prisoners
who are set free; we are the blind whose eyes are opened; we are the poor
hearing the good news. All because the Lord has freed us from the bonds of sin.
So take your place in
the drama this Holy Week. You’re not an onlooker; you’re a participant. Jesus
is about to take your sin upon him and restore you to your place as a beloved
child of the Father. Take the words of this servant with you this week. Rejoice
that your Savior is gentle and full of care. His eyes are fixed on the “bruised
reeds” and “smoldering wicks” in your life. He is mighty to save—to save you!
May the Lord make his
salvation the central story not just of Holy Week but of our whole life!
“Lord, thank you for the
salvation that you have won for me through your death and resurrection.” Amen.
Psalm 27: By David.
1 Yahweh is my light and
my salvation.
Whom shall I fear?
Yahweh is the strength
of my life.
Of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers came at
me to eat up my flesh,
even my adversaries and my foes, they
stumbled and fell.
3 Though an army should
encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear.
Though war should rise
against me,
even then I will be confident.
13 I am still confident
of this:
I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the
land of the living.
14 Wait for Yahweh.
Be strong, and let your heart take courage.
Yes, wait for Yahweh.
John 12:1 Then six days
before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been
dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 So they made him a supper there. Martha
served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him. 3 Mary,
therefore, took a pound[a] of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and
anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was
filled with the fragrance of the ointment. 4 Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son,
one of his disciples, who would betray him, said, 5 “Why wasn’t this ointment
sold for three hundred denarii,[b] and given to the poor?” 6 Now he said this,
not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the
money box, used to steal what was put into it. 7 But Jesus said, “Leave her
alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial. 8 For you always have the
poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”
9 A large crowd
therefore of the Jews learned that he was there, and they came, not for Jesus’
sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the
dead. 10 But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also, 11
because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Footnotes:
a. John 12:3 a Roman
pound of 12 ounces, or about 340 grams
b. John 12:5 300 denarii
was about a year’s wages for an agricultural laborer.
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