There are four songs of the suffering servant in the book of the prophet Isaiah. We hear all four of these readings during the liturgies of Holy Week. The third song of the suffering servant is today, with the fourth being in the liturgy on Good Friday. The suffering servant will receive from God the words he is to speak, especially for those who are in need of his encouragement. We see this in the way that Jesus gives words of encouragement to his disciples before his passion. On one of the stations of the cross, we hear Jesus speaking to the woman of Jerusalem who sympathize with him; he gives them words of encouragement too, just as he speaks in such words to the good thief who is crucified alongside of him.
Yet, in the reading today, it talks about how even though the suffering servant speaks the words of God, he receives insults and criticism in return. We see how the suffering servant reacts to the criticism he receives and how Jesus reacts to such insults and criticism. Sometimes we want to lash out to people in anger. I know we all have received criticism or snarky remarks or insults on Facebook or in an email or in a text. Just last week, I received criticism and harsh comments and backlash from one of my fellow priests, and he copied a whole bunch of other priests on that email. I could have lash out right back, but I didn’t. We look at how in the pandemic there is a lot of criticism and tension in no matter what we do. But, what are the words God is asking us to say? How do we respond to this criticism and insults in compassion and love?
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