Daily Readings - Tue Mar 27 2018
First Reading - Isaiah 49.1-6
Isaiah
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Gospel - John 13.21-33, 36-38
John
When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of service, betrayal, and trust in God’s plan. The first reading from Isaiah presents the figure of the suffering servant, who, despite feeling that his efforts are in vain, is reminded by God that his mission extends far beyond Israel to the Gentiles. This servant’s journey is marked by trust in God’s providence, even when the results of his labor are not immediately apparent. In the Gospel, we find Jesus at the Last Supper, predicting his betrayal by Judas and Peter’s denial. These moments of sorrow and failure are set against the backdrop of Jesus’ unwavering commitment to his mission, even as he faces the darkness of rejection and abandonment.
The connection between the two readings lies in their emphasis on the challenges inherent in serving God’s will. Isaiah’s servant and Jesus both experience moments of doubt and discouragement, yet they remain steadfast in their trust in God. For the servant, this trust leads to the realization that his mission is not limited to Israel but extends to all nations. For Jesus, it leads to the ultimate act of self-giving love, even in the face of betrayal. These stories remind us that our own journeys of faith are not immune to setbacks, but it is precisely in these moments that we are called to deepen our trust in God’s plan.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are invited to reflect on how we respond to failure and discouragement. Like the servant in Isaiah, we may feel that our efforts are in vain, but God assures us that our work has meaning beyond what we can see. Like Peter, we may falter in our resolve, but Jesus calls us to follow him even in our weakness. The moral lesson here is clear: our faith is not measured by our successes but by our willingness to trust in God’s providence, even when the path ahead seems uncertain. Let us, therefore, embrace the challenges of our own mission, knowing that God’s glory is revealed not in our achievements but in our fidelity to his will.