Glory giving

The battle between good and evil is set up as we consider the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. The passage from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is the description of the mission of the Messianic figure, the suffering servant, who is commissioned by God to bring light, the goodness of God, to all the nations. Friar Jude Winkler comments on several persons who could have been in the mind of the author of this text likely written during the exile in Babylon. The confidence that God is leading the people to light and restoration through the actions of this figure is the theme of this text. Friar Jude notes that Jesus referred to His ministry using the language from Isaiah of the suffering servant. The text from the Gospel of John is setting the stage for the confrontation between Jesus and the religious authorities which would lead to His passion and death. The evangelist presents the glory of God as the love for humanity which God presents through the complete giving of Jesus life to overcome the night, darkness and evil. The light to the nations comes with Jesus giving all for Love and humanity. The ongoing mission of giving all, like the Suffering Servant, is the eternal holiness to which the followers of Jesus are invited.