Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 20, 2024
HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND JESUS – Son of God and Savior or suffering Servant?
What is the message you hear most Sundays about the promised Messiah? The future Messiah would bring peace and prosperity to the nation of Israel; he would bring justice to people and to a nation that were downtrodden, he would bring healing to those who were sick, he would bring hope to those who had little chance; and a wonderful life of plenty and abundance to those who were hungry and homeless. In truth he delivered on all these expectations’ However, the message in today’s readings gives us another side to the story of Jesus own experience of life.
The first reading (Isaiah, 53:10-11) written about 700 years before the coming of Christ, explains that the Messiah would be a man of suffering, he would be a suffering servant in order to seek and obtain forgiveness for the sins of the people. ‘’He would be like a shoot from the parched earth, his appearance would not attract us; a person from whom people would hide their face; he would have no stately bearing; he would be spurned and avoided by those he came to save; a man of suffering; and though harshly treated he would not complain, like a lamb he would be led to the slaughter; he would be condemned and would be buried in a borrowed tomb.’’
When we consider his death, it was evil and a human tragedy, but Isaiah reminds us of the higher meaning of his life and death; and the saving and redemptive grace that came from his suffering and death. ‘’In giving his life on our behalf according to the prophet Isaiah, he would obtain forgiveness for our selfishness and sin; the work of God would be accomplished; this suffering servant would justify many and he would be numbered among the great.
Seven hundred years later as Jesus was preparing his disciples for his departure, they mistakenly thought he would establish a great earthly kingdom. We are told James and John went so far as to ask for seats on his right and left in his kingdom. The rest of the disciples understood their desire for places of importance and resented their request. He corrected them, telling them that ‘that even if they could drink his cup of suffering, they would not be seated on his left or right, as do rulers in worldly positions. If they wished to be first or greatest in his work, they must be servants or slaves to all. He explained that he had not come to serve but to be served.
The letter to the Hebrews (Heb. 4:14-14) as our second reading today, written about thirty five years after the resurrection, was written to offer encouragement and hope to the early Christians. They were new Christians struggling to understand why the Messiah had to suffer. Many, after becoming Christians were leaning towards returning to the Jewish faith. The letter of the Hebrews seeks to strengthen their practical faith, appeals to them to persevere, and explains the mysteries and challenges of the incarnation. He proclaimed Jesus to be God’s messenger sent to proclaim the father’s love. Jesus was God’s final word of salvation proclaimed to all humanity. In earlier generations God’s word was spoken by the prophets, but now that word is spoken by God’s own Son, not only in words but also in his deeds and also by his life.
APPLICATIONS
How do you reconcile the notion of Jesus as the Son of God and savior, and Jesus as the ‘suffering servant.’?
What notion of Jesus do you have in mind in your efforts to pray ‘?
In your opinion, why was it necessary (and effective) that Jesus had to suffer the painful and shameful death?
In living and professing your faith, do you think about Jesus as the long-awaited savior or as the suffering servant?
[Submitted by Father David O’Connor, EMAIL: doconnor.natchez@gmail.com]
Father David O'Connor 10 Morgantown Road Natchez, MS 39120-2788
