By Naresh Namindla csc –
Readings: Is 49: 1-6; Jn 13: 21-33, 36-38
As we are in the Holy Week, today’s liturgy speaks about the servant whose service and suffering brought glorification to God.
Today’s first reading speaks about servant Isaiah, whom God formed to be his servant when he was in the womb of his mother. God made him to be his servant for the purpose of bringing his people Israel back to God.
In this task of bringing Israel back to him, God promised Isaiah that he will make him as a light of nations so that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. However, when the prophet tried to bring the people of Israel back to God, he faced trials and tribulations in his mission.
We see similar patterns of servanthood in today’s gospel reading too. Jesus who was sent to the world as a light for the nations is about to be betrayed by his own disciple. Jesus willingly prepared himself to be handed over to Jews and undergo that suffering.
The purpose of the mission of Jesus is to not only preach, heal and do miracles but also to reconcile the world to God through his suffering and death on the cross. The betrayal is the path of Jesus to bring glorification to the name of God. So dear friends, let us faithfully witness this passion of Christ that Jesus is about to undergo and ask for graces that we may be ready to sacrifice little things for others as Jesus sacrificed his life for us.