Insight into Why

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary for Tuesday of Holy Week bring us some important insight into the mission of Jesus. Friar Jude Winkler provides some background to the Scripture readings. The second suffering servant poem is the passage from the Book of Isaiah. The call to the servant to act for God is one that defines him from birth. It is the "why" of his being called to life. God has provided the strength for his mission which, in the experience of the Exile is understood to bring the light of intimate relationship or Covenant with God to all people. Universality is the message which the servant is to bring. God delights in all people. This changes the concept of the Messiah from a leader solely for the Jews to One for all nations. The Gospel of John portrays Jesus Divinity strongly throughout. The episode today deals with Jesus identifying His betrayers, and in the dualistic theme of this Gospel, positioning the betrayers with Satan. In contrast to the evil evidenced by Judas departure full of Satan, Jesus proclaims that He will be the glory of God, His father, as the world sees the measure of the outpouring of Love in His death on the cross. The passion with which Peter asserts his commitment to follow Jesus to the death is met with the prediction that he will greatly deny his association with Jesus when the time comes.  Winkler invites us to visit John Chapter 21 to read how Jesus provides the opportunity for Peter to be fully restored in communion with Him. Our mission, like the servant of Isaiah and Peter is in the Divine plan. We are guided to live our Mission through the promptings of the Spirit which continues to invite us to deeper intimacy and provide opportunities to reconcile our denials as we move toward discovery of our "Why".