Sunday’s readings begin with a passage from Isaiah referred to as the Suffering Servant. It is about one who will fight to “bring forth justice to the nations.” He will not “cry out” nor “shout,” “a bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench until he establishes justice on the earth.” Jesus’ Gospel reading begins with people hopeful for a new just one. “All were asking whether John might” be him. John has a strong public presence. He is presently baptizing a crowd of people. Among them is one seemingly unknown until this point, Jesus. “After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.”
Isaiah’s just one is referred to as the Suffering Servant. It is a title and character entirely misrepresented by theologians. They assign the title and character to Jesus. The Isaiah suffering servant however is a character who will fight first, and then, only when victorious, will he be peaceful. If we begin by fighting for justice, as Isaiah describes, we will never end with living in peace, as history proves. Such ordering of justice first and then peace is the ordering done by emperors and their soldiers. It is a Pax Romana type of peace gained by riding a horse of war. After the violence, after the victory for justice a promise is made of peace. But the violence never ends for the justice is never secure and thus the peace is never realized. Always, peace will remain, at best, a promise. But with Jesus, peace comes at the beginning. Jesus starts with peace, with interior gentleness received as a dove. Jesus witnesses a deep truth about humanity; we are born in peace, in communion with a Divine Presence of peace, blessed with a Beautiful Spirit of peace. Jesus’ way of peace moved him into a public life of peacemaking. Our decision for Jesus’ way of peace moves us into a public life of peacemaking too. We live with peace in our hearts and peace in our hands shared with and for others, those who are close to us and far beyond.
“Today more than ever, our societies need “artisans of peace” who can be messengers and authentic witnesses of God… a great political project grounded in the mutual responsibility and interdependence of human beings… demands to be taken up ever anew. It entails a conversion of heart and soul; it is both interior and communal; and it has three inseparable aspects: – peace with oneself, rejecting inflexibility, anger and impatience; … showing “a bit of sweetness towards oneself” in order to offer “a bit of sweetness to others”; – peace with others: family members, friends, strangers, the poor and the suffering, being unafraid to encounter them and listen to what they have to say; – peace with all creation, rediscovering the grandeur of God’s gift and our individual and shared responsibility as inhabitants of this world, citizens and builders of the future.” (‘Good Politics Is At The Service of Peace’ – Pope Francis for the Celebration of the 52nd World Day Of Peace 1 January 2019)
Prayer: Spirit, may we be artisans of peace.
Question: How do I acknowledge peace as my essence and as a skill to develop and share?
January 13, 2019 Gospel Matthew 13:13-17 Feast of Jesus’ Baptism