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Word among us
Posted Apr 2, 2006 4:18 AM
A Good Question to ask during lent
What do Job (Job 42:5), Paul (Acts 9:5), Cornelius (10:44), Lydia (16:14), and the man born blind (John 9:25) have in common? God opened their eyes—all of them spiritually, and some of them even physically.
Lent is a time when God invites us to put more effort and energy into our life with Jesus. It’s a time for us to cry out to Jesus, asking him, “Lord, open my eyes so that I may see your beauty more clearly!”
While we may not have the gift of prophecy like Deutero-Isaiah, it is still true that the Holy Spirit lives in us and wants to open our eyes to God’s love. It is still true that we can come to “see” Jesus and deepen our relationship with him. So as we take a look at the fourth song of the Suffering Servant, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to do just that. Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, “who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross”—all for us (Hebrews 12:2).
In this essay, we will look specifically at the first three verses of this song (Isaiah 52:13-15). These few words go a long way in setting the tone and outlining the action for the rest of the song. Verse 13 tells us about a future triumph for the servant; verse 14 focuses on the servant’s present suffering; and verse 15 tells us about the fruit of the servant’s obedience and submission. With these three themes in mind, let’s see how this servant’s suffering points to Jesus and teaches us about our own lives of faith.
Triumph ( Isaiah 52:13).
The song begins by telling us that the Suffering Servant will accomplish his mission. No matter how much he is abused or wounded, he will achieve what he has set out to do. And because of his success, he will be exalted above everyone and everything else in the world.
These opening words highlight a crucial point. They help us to bear the images of physical pain and emotional anguish that we are about to encounter—as well as any suffering we may face in our own lives. Knowing from the start that the servant will indeed triumph is a source of comfort and encouragement for us—a way of telling us at the very start that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
The same is true when we think of Jesus. Like the Suffering Servant, he too will “prosper.” He too will be highly exalted. His brutal death was not the last word! In the end, he triumphed and took his seat at the Father’s right hand, victorious over sin and death.
Reflection: It is critical that we believe that Jesus triumphed. Where would we be without this confidence? We would be left to walk this world alone. We would have no promise of resurrection to encourage us or to help give us direction and purpose.
In your prayer this Lent, picture Jesus seated at God’s right hand. See how everyone in heaven is praising him and singing songs to honor him because of his victory. As the angels sing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord,” and “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 4:8; 5:12), picture yourself joining in. Give yourself over to the worship of heaven. Let their song of triumph fill your heart with love and gratitude for Jesus.
Jesus’ victory has massive implications for us. We can live in hope, no matter what our situation, because Jesus has sanctified all suffering. Whether we are facing serious hardship or are simply giving up sweets for Lent, we can trust that our suffering is not in vain. It will be blessed by God—maybe in ways we can’t even imagine—just as Jesus was blessed immensely when he gave up his life for us.
Suffering (Isaiah 52:14).
From a promise of ultimate victory, we are next given a quick image of a body disfigured by violence. The song tells us that those who saw the servant’s wounds were astonished and alarmed at the sight. It seems as if the image was more than they could bear.
We have all seen that marred body. Every time we look at a crucifix, we see an image of how Jesus was beaten, scourged, and crowned with thorns. Like those who saw the servant of God, we too might want to turn away from the sight of the cross—or at least not think too much about all the pain that Jesus endured.
In presenting a disfigured servant of God, this song challenged conventional Jewish wisdom. For the ancient Jews, suffering was seen as a curse from God—a punishment for sin. But here, we see an innocent man suffering—and doing so for the sake of others.
Isn’t it ironic? The suffering servant accepted the responsibility for everyone’s sins, yet he was despised and rejected by the very people whose sins he died for. They regarded his punishment as “just,” even though the sins he suffered for were theirs, not his. Somehow, these people could not see the “perversion of justice” that he was subjected to (Isaiah 53:8). Scholars have debated the relationship between God’s perfect love and his perfect justice, between God’s wrath and his mercy. While we may never fully understand these mysteries, we do know that we have all turned against the Lord. We do know that we have all “gone astray,” preferring our own way over God’s. And we do know that God “has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
This is the heart of the gospel. This is the core reason for our Lenten observances. Jesus Christ died for our sins. And in his dying, he suffered physical, mental, and spiritual torment so that we could be set free.
Reflection: Every day this Lent, try to spend some time looking at the bruised and beaten body of Jesus. Confess that he suffered all of this for you—and for everyone in the world—so that we could be reunited with our heavenly Father. Thank Jesus for taking your burdens upon his shoulders. Let the love and mercy of his cross fill your heart so that you can experience a share in Jesus’ victory. Take these thoughts with you when you go to Confession. This sacrament takes what Jesus did for us on the cross and applies it to our own lives. So let Jesus—the Suffering Servant who gave his life for you—wash you clean.
The Fruit of Victory (Isaiah 52:15).
This fourth song began with a statement that the servant’s sufferings would end in triumph. Now in this verse, we have a glimpse of what that triumph has achieved.
Evidently, when the Suffering Servant has fulfilled his mission, he will “startle” the world and take everyone by surprise. This servant, who was once beaten and bruised, will appear in glory and vindication. He will open their eyes and make known to them things that they could not understand previously. Like Job, Paul, and the others we listed at the beginning of this article, their spiritual eyes will be opened. And the vision would leave them speechless.
When he appeared before Pilate, already scourged and crowned with thorns, Jesus must have looked like “one from whom others hide their faces” (Isaiah 53:3). And yet Pilate called out in words that echo down to today, and that will continue to echo until the end of time: “Behold the man!” (John 19:5). Only now, we do not behold Jesus simply as an innocent victim of an unjust execution. We behold him as the Lamb of God who has taken away our sins (1:29). We behold him as the one who has made us right with God and enabled us to know our Father’s love once more. We behold him as one exalted in glory.
Reflection: As you gaze upon the Bread of Life during Mass, ask yourself, “Does Jesus startle me? Am I moved by what I see before me? Do I take this body, which was broken for me, into my body with the hope and confidence that he wants to change me into his image?”
Jesus has been opening people’s eyes since the day he was conceived in Mary’s womb. He has been showing people who he is. He has been showing them why he died. He has been giving them an image of who they can be as they repent, build up their faith, and dedicate their gifts and talents to his glory.
This Lent, Jesus wants to tell us: “Let me open your eyes so that you can see who I am—your Lord and Savior. Let me come into your life. Let me strengthen you in virtue and help you root out every way of sin. Let me form you into my image so that you will enjoy the peace, the joy, and the love that I came to bring.”
Come to the Lord. Every day, but especially during Lent, Jesus invites us to come to him. We don’t need to convince him to love us. All we have to do is turn our faces toward him and look upon him, the one we have pierced. As we do, he will pierce us with his love, his mercy, and his power.
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