Today in the first reading we contemplate the third chant of the Suffering Servant. We see that above all, the Servant is a faithful disciple. But the price he pays for his fidelity is suffering. He is scourged, spat upon and made the object of outrageous humiliations.
In all of this torment he is not alone. God is with him, enabling him to know that his attitude in all of this suffering is right. He is an image of Jesus, who also suffered because of an abuse of power on the part of those who tortured him.
On our TV screens we see daily the results of political power over victims of bombings. What we fail to see is that sometimes we give into sin because we hesitate to resist temptation. Then, there are times when we refuse to see is the power of sin over our own weakness, fearful of what others might think of us if we take a contrary stand. So, evil strengthens its power from indecision and from concern of what others think. There are personal lessons we gain from our TV screens.
I’ll reflect on the psalm in today’s readings: “Insult has broken my heart and I am weak,” and I shall ask myself, if I had been swallowed up in the crowd that cried for Christ’s crucifixion, how I would have responded? “Lord, in your great love, answer me.”