Daile reflection _ palm sunday

WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE

We are all God's servants; how is this truth expressed in our lives?  

In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, we read, "My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting...knowing, that I shall not be put to shame. For the Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue" (Is 50:6b, 7b, 4a). We are to speak the Word of God to people and rouse them in their faith; we are called to be servants. It's not surprising that the early Christians saw in the servant songs a remarkable similarity to Jesus' life and ministry. Today's reading from Isaiah is about the third servant song - a suffering servant. This passage helped Jesus' followers understand His death on the Cross in a new and hopeful way.

St. Augustine of Hippo comments on the significance of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem: "The Master of humility is Christ Who humbled Himself and became obedient even to death, even the death of the Cross. Thus, He does not lose His divinity when He teaches us humility... What great thing was it to the King of the ages to become the King of humanity? For Christ was not the King of Israel so that He might exact a tax or equip an army with weaponry and visibly vanquish an enemy. He was the King of Israel in that He rules minds, in that He gives counsel for eternity, in that He leads into the Kingdom of heaven for those who believe, hope, and love. It is a condescension, not an advancement for One Who is the Son of God, equal to the Father, the Word through Whom all things were made, to become King of Israel. It is an indication of pity, not an increase in power" (Tractates on John 51:3-4).

Please take the time, today, to reflect on "The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ" according to Luke's Gospel.

We are all God's servants; how is this truth expressed in our lives?

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