Good Morning Friends,
If Judas had not betrayed Jesus would we still be Christians? If Peter had not denied Christ and later been forgiven would we understand grace? Friends, we are in Holy Week and it is a time when we remember both the darkest hour of history, and the time the Son of God shines with the brightest glory. It is a time of prayer for lifelong protection of being guided though life’s dark valleys as well as green mountain pastures. To guide us the Light of the world shined in the darkness of the cross and evil did not overcome light. The redemptive purposes of the Almighty Sovereign and saving act of God would be accomplished by the dreadful evil hands and hearts of dishonor to accomplish perfect redemption. Judas still had the opportunity for repentance and forgiveness. Peter thought he was faithful. Yet the Light came to save those in darkness…even Judas could be forgiven if he would ask and certainly Peter too. But Judas did not realize that Jesus would abolish death by being swallowed up by death. Jesus submitted to the darkness and overcame it not with a passive love, not with a private personal feeling, but with the actions of a servant willing to die for the cause of redeeming the world. So, considering what is at stake, Are You Serving The King With A Holy Purpose Guided By God’s Plan Of Love?
Scripture: Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God.” And now the Lord says, who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him, for I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:1-6 (NRSV)
After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
John 13:21-33 (NRSV)
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.
John 13:36-38 (NRSV)
In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me and save me. Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel. For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you. I have been like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all day long. Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength is spent. For my enemies speak concerning me, and those who watch for my life consult together. They say, ‘Pursue and seize that person whom God has forsaken, for there is no one to deliver.’ O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed; let those who seek to hurt me be covered with scorn and disgrace. But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all day long, though their number is past my knowledge. I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord God, I will praise your righteousness, yours alone. O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
Psalm 71:1-17 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s Catholic lectionary connects the questions of who we serve and where Jesus went that we cannot go. Jesus is preparing for the cross but also preparing the disciples for where they are going. It brings us to the conclusion that who we serve and where we are going are connected to acts of love. The readings include the Second Servant Song from Isaiah and a Gospel reading that is about the denial and betrayal of Jesus and sets the stage for how one of the disciples would seek forgiveness and one would not. The dark Gospel text should trouble our spirit for Jesus was disturbed to His very soul in the narrative. But it is also about light…for it sets out the plan of salvation for the entire world. It is played out in the physical dark of night but also the dark of people’s souls. In this darkness the word glorify is used multiple times in the text and there is the story. It is about Jesus being called to a task to Glorify God and change the world in the middle of darkness. As a backdrop for this drama, we read Isaiah 49: 1-6 which is also known as “The Second Servant Song.” There are four servant songs in Isaiah, and they can be read as prophecies about the Messiah. As Christians, we understand the “Servant” described by Isaiah in these “Servant Songs” to be Jesus Christ. What is interesting and unique about this Second Servant Song, though, as you may have noticed, is the fact that it is not entirely clear who exactly the servant is. The song begins as if the servant himself is speaking, “The Lord called me before I was born.” But then it is reported that God said, “You are my servant, Israel.” And later on, the name of Jacob is mentioned. The final portions of this song only say “You.” The text has this kind of ambiguity, to engage us in a reflection on who we really are serving and whether we have surrendered to Jesus or Satan. The contrast here is strong. The plan is revealed. The choice is laid out. That is what connects these two scriptures. Who will you serve? Where are you going?
And So, every mission has an objective with agents for accomplishing the goal of that mission. And the thing is that God appoints us to be a light for those in our neighborhoods close by as well as to the nations far away. It does not mean that we have been challenged to work on our own self-preservation as much as to the greater good. And the point is that we have to magnify God’s light though actions of love that risk enough to make a difference on this mission. In these days, perhaps the entire human race is troubled in spirit by the pandemic that has spread over the face of the earth. But if we accept the grace of Christ to live as Christ, in the love of God, even that trouble can be a step towards glorification. Who we serve and where we are going can shine a light so others might see!
Pray the light overcome the darkness in our lives. Pray Jesus be the King of our lives. Pray the Holy Spirit protect us from evil. Pray our love be pure. Pray we are called to a Holy purpose and serve in love. Pray
we choose to serve the Lord of Light and not the Lord of Darkness. Pray we learn to seek forgiveness for our sins. Pray we embrace God’s will. Pray we realize that to love one another is to offer the sacrifice of self for the good of another. Pray we believe in this kind of love. Pray we realize the presence of Jesus in our midst when we witness to the powerful love of Jesus. Pray we realize that Jesus’ love never ends. Pray we are servants to the will of God to Glorify God. Pray we know where we are going. Pray we serve Jesus with the spirit of love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 