The day after Palm Sunday is here and we have now begun our journey into Holy Week, the most solemn days of the Christian Liturgical Calendar.
For the past weeks of Lent, we have tried to find our way closer to Christ by peeling away the attachments we hold in our ordinary lives. We have tried. We have failed. We try again.
As each day draws closer to the final days of the greatest story ever told, we strive to place ourselves in the Passion of our Lord in many ways. We do so by continuing our Lenten habits – our prayers, fasting, alms-giving.
We do so by various artistic offerings such as music, movies, live performances.
We do so by reading Scripture.
Monday’s scripture is a particularly good one to help us ponder and meditate on who we are and what God is calling us to be right this very moment. In the darkest of hours, he calls us to be bright, shining stars to evangelize the world.
But who does Isaiah refer to when he writes about the suffering servant, in today’s first reading? Is he writing about Christ? Is he writing about the Hebrew nation, called to suffer on behalf of the world? Or … is he writing about me and you?
Read the words slowly … three times.
First, read them with Christ in mind. Then … with the Jewish people in mind (those whom Isaiah was writing for at the time). And finally … read it a third time with yourself in mind.
Here is a little help …
“I, the LORD, have called you (MY SON, JESUS) for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”
“I, the LORD, have called you (MY PEOPLE, JERUSALEM) for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”
“I, the LORD, have called you (YOUR NAME) for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.”
I would submit the answer to the question is all three.
Scripture should always be read first with Christ in mind. But don’t forget to also read it with a history in mind, as well. Take the time to discover who the author was writing to, what the time frame was and what tricks of the language were deployed to make a point. (And what, of course, is the point?).
Finally, as anyone who meditates on Scripture can tell you, the words of both the Old Testament and New Testament should be read as if they were written personally, to me and you … today.
If you don’t already practice this form of meditation … this is a perfect week to begin!
We are called to join Jesus, to walk with him, as he is put on trial, condemned, crucified and finally rises again on Easter!
Make that journey stronger by placing yourself, you heart and soul, into the pages of Scripture this week.
Read today’s scripture online.
