Holy Week and the Servant Songs from Isaiah: Part 3

The Lord GOD has given me 
a well-trained tongue,
That I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
And I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
My face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let him confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?

This reading holds a special place in my heart, because the first time I ever read at Mass (when I was in the First Grade) this was the reading I read.  I had practiced so much that by the time the Mass came around, I had it completely memorized- so much so that when I got up to read, I didn't even look at the paper- I recited the whole thing from memory.  And although my memory of this passage has faded (I tried to recite it from Memory when I read for our House Mass tonight, and couldn't do it) The imagery that first grade me created in my head surrounding this passage still remains in my head.

For some reason, that first image was of an old man, with a long grey beard (probably because that's how our Religion textbooks pictured a lot of Biblical Characters). But as I've gotten older, I must admit that it's become easier and easier to picture Jesus in this passage as well.  Think back to Sunday's reading of the Passion, when the soldiers mocked Jesus before leading him off to be crucified. He endured this treatment- not rebelling, not striking back. but allowing the soldiers to mistreat him. Why? Because he knows that because God is his help, he is not disgraced, and in the end, he will not be put to shame (even though it seems like the very act of enduring the treatment described would be very shameful!)  God provides his help to his servant- a fact which reaches its fullest culmination in the final servant song.

There is something more here too- something that goes beyond the suffering.  The first line of this third servant song should speak volumes to us, especially when applied to Christ.  Christ indeed had a well-trained tongue: The question is this: In our weariness, do we allow the words of Christ to rouse us? Do we allow his words to give us strength to keep going in the midst of our own weariness and trials?  All too often, it is far to easy to get caught up in the busyness of our lives, that we forget to allow some quiet time for Christ to speak to us in our hearts. As we continue to journey through this Holy Week, and prepare to celebrate the Sacred Paschal Triduum, now is the perfect opportunity to do just that.  Attend the Liturgies on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Spend some time in Adoration after the Holy Thursday Liturgy.  tune out the busyness, and allow Christ to speak to you in the silence of your heart. And look for the final installment of this series on the Servant Songs on Friday!! May God continue to bless you this Holy Week!