Servants United in the Lord

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to pray to discern the role to which we are being called today as we join the wider Christian Community to serve the Way of the Lord.

United in the Lord

The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah presents The Servant of the Lord.

* [49:1–7] The second of the four “servant of the Lord” oracles (cf. note on 42:1–4).

* [49:1] Gave me my name: designated me for a special task or mission (cf. Jer 1:5).

* [49:3] Israel: the servant is identified with the people of Israel as their ideal representative; however, vv. 5–6 seem to distinguish the servant from Israel.

* [49:6] The servant’s vocation extends beyond the restoration of Israel in order to bring the knowledge of Israel’s God to the rest of the earth; cf. Lk 2:32. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 40 praises the open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced.

* [Psalm 40] A thanksgiving (Ps 40:2–13) has been combined with a lament (Ps 40:14–17) that appears also in Ps 70. The psalmist describes the rescue in spatial terms—being raised up from the swampy underworld to firm earth where one can praise God (Ps 40:2–4). All who trust God will experience like protection (Ps 40:5–6)! The Psalm stipulates the precise mode of thanksgiving: not animal sacrifice but open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced (Ps 40:7–11). A prayer for protection concludes (Ps 40:12–17).

* [40:4] A new song: a song in response to the new action of God (cf. Ps 33:3; 96:1; 144:9; 149:1; Is 42:10). Giving thanks is not purely a human response but is itself a divine gift.

* [40:7–9] Obedience is better than sacrifice (cf. 1 Sm 15:22; Is 1:10–20; Hos 6:6; Am 5:22–25; Mi 6:6–8; Acts 7:42–43 [quoting Am 5:25–26]). Heb 10:5–9 quotes the somewhat different Greek version and interprets it as Christ’s self-oblation. (Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians is from Paul’s Greeting.

* [1:1–9] Paul follows the conventional form for the opening of a Hellenistic letter (cf. Rom 1:1–7), but expands the opening with details carefully chosen to remind the readers of their situation and to suggest some of the issues the letter will discuss.

* [1:1] Called…by the will of God: Paul’s mission and the church’s existence are grounded in God’s initiative. God’s call, grace, and fidelity are central ideas in this introduction, emphasized by repetition and wordplays in the Greek. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John presents the Baptist’s Testimony to Jesus.

* [1:29] The Lamb of God: the background for this title may be the victorious apocalyptic lamb who would destroy evil in the world (Rev 5–7; 17:14); the paschal lamb, whose blood saved Israel (Ex 12); and/or the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter as a sin-offering (Is 53:7, 10).

* [1:30] He existed before me: possibly as Elijah (to come, Jn 1:27); for the evangelist and his audience, Jesus’ preexistence would be implied (see note on Jn 1:1).

* [1:31] I did not know him: this gospel shows no knowledge of the tradition (Lk 1) about the kinship of Jesus and John the Baptist. The reason why I came baptizing with water: in this gospel, John’s baptism is not connected with forgiveness of sins; its purpose is revelatory, that Jesus may be made known to Israel.

* [1:32] Like a dove: a symbol of the new creation (Gn 8:8) or the community of Israel (Hos 11:11). Remain: the first use of a favorite verb in John, emphasizing the permanency of the relationship between Father and Son (as here) and between the Son and the Christian. Jesus is the permanent bearer of the Spirit.

* [1:34] The Son of God: this reading is supported by good Greek manuscripts, including the Chester Beatty and Bodmer Papyri and the Vatican Codex, but is suspect because it harmonizes this passage with the synoptic version: “This is my beloved Son” (Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22). The poorly attested alternate reading, “God’s chosen One,” is probably a reference to the Servant of Yahweh (Is 42:1). (John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Jim Caime, SJ, shares how humour gives him just enough space to ask a more honest question: Where might God be inviting me to grow, not by doing more, but by seeing differently?

I don’t hear this as God demanding more effort or higher achievement. I hear it as God seeing more possibility than we often allow ourselves to see. The invitation is not to strive harder, but to trust that God’s imagination for our lives exceeds our own.

At 64, I can look back and see things I never imagined I would do. Much of what has shaped me unfolded beyond anything I planned. That helps me remember that what lies ahead is still unknown, even when I think I have a plan. And I’ve learned not to assume that the unknown is a problem.

So perhaps the question Isaiah leaves us with this week is not, “Am I doing enough?” but something simpler and more honest: Where might God be inviting me to see my life with God’s eyes, rather than my own measurements? (Caime, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “John points to Jesus' saving mission,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"No longer does John need to 'prepare the way,' since the one for whom the preparation was being made is right there before his eyes... But now he who of old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless Sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all, that he might drive away the sin of the world, that he might overturn the destroyer of the earth, that dying for all he might annihilate death, that he might undo the curse that is upon us... For one Lamb died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14), saving the whole flock on earth to God the Father, one for all, that he might subject all to God." (excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 Today we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and this year’s theme comes from Ephesians 4:4: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling.” That might remind you of today’s first reading. We are called, and that calling changes us. It’s meant to lead us to unity with everyone who belongs to Jesus. It’s meant to urge us to love each other to the point that we’re united.

So how do we start? A first step is to let Jesus help you see and love other Christians as fellow members of his body. So for the rest of this week, join believers around the world in praying the daily prayers for unity. You can find them starting on page 10 of this magazine.

“Lord, make us one in you!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Isaiah 49 is one of the songs of the Suffering Servant from Second Isaiah This servant is to raise up Israel and a light to the nations. Who is referred to here? Jesus used the vocabulary of the Suffering Servant to refer to Himself. Paul’s introduction to the Corinthians speaks to a port city with many troubles. As many as four letters from Paul repeat the name of Jesus in a community that thought the Holy Spirit was superior to Jesus. The Baptist calls Jesus the Lamb of God This phrase in Aramaic is used for “Servant of God” too. The Holy Spirit descended and remained on Jesus the Spirit as a dove, a symbol of Love in The Hebrew Testament. Friar Jude describes the Holy Spirit as the Love between Father and Son and for us. Christian Baptism is different from the Baptism of John as it is an invitation into the life of the Trinity.

Father Richard Rohr comments that great traditions always call people on a journey of faith to keep changing. There’s no other way the human person can open up to all that God is asking of us.

Immediately after he begins preaching, Jesus calls his first four disciples. Jesus just says, “Follow me” and immediately they leave their nets and follow him (Matthew 4:19–20). But today, the way I see people transformed doesn’t happen this quickly. Maybe it happened that way with Jesus and the disciples; I don’t want to say that it didn’t. A true disciple will have that kind of readiness. Most of us, though, would prefer some process of conversion, a series of conversations over a few weeks, with Jesus saying, “Hey, I’m into something new. Do you want to be a part of it? Let’s go.”

I hope we realize that we’re all called to discipleship. We hope that the point comes when we’re ready to let go of our nets: our sense of self, our security systems, and the way it’s always been. Fishing is Simon (Peter) and Andrew’s economic livelihood, and Jesus says to let go of it. He says, “I’m going to teach you how to fish in a new way, to fish for people” (Matthew 4:19). What he means is that he’s going to give them a new vocation. Hearing this Gospel passage, I hope we’re inspired to ask, “What is God asking us to do? Where is God asking us to go?” (Rohr, n.d.)

We join the Christian Community as anointed in Baptism as priest, prophet and leader presenting the Way of Jesus to the environment in which we are called to be a sign of love.

References

Caime, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/ 

Isaiah, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/49?3=#29049003 

John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?29=#51001029 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/01/18/1482253/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/1?1=#54001001 

Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/40?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Follow Me. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/follow-me/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Behold the Lamb of God! Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 18, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Preaching Prayer and Protest

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today alert us to the opposition we may encounter as we try to live our relationship with God that we embrace in the words of the Lord’s Prayer.

Kingdom Power Glory

The reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians declares his mission that features preaching without charge.

* [11:1–15] Although these verses continue to reveal information about Paul’s opponents and the differences he perceives between them and himself, 2 Cor 11:1 signals a turn in Paul’s thought. This section constitutes a prologue to the boasting that he will undertake in 2 Cor 11:16–12:10, and it bears remarkable similarities to the section that follows the central boast, 2 Cor 12:11–18. (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 111 tells how God is revealed in Israel’s history.

* [Psalm 111] A Temple singer (Ps 111:1) tells how God is revealed in Israel’s history (Ps 111:2–10). The deeds reveal God’s very self, powerful, merciful, faithful. The poem is an acrostic, each verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Psalms, PSALM 111, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents the Lord’s Prayer.

* [6:9] Our Father in heaven: this invocation is found in many rabbinic prayers of the post-New Testament period. Hallowed be your name: though the “hallowing” of the divine name could be understood as reverence done to God by human praise and by obedience to his will, this is more probably a petition that God hallow his own name, i.e., that he manifest his glory by an act of power (cf. Ez 36:23), in this case, by the establishment of his kingdom in its fullness.

* [6:10] Your kingdom come: this petition sets the tone of the prayer, and inclines the balance toward divine rather than human action in the petitions that immediately precede and follow it. Your will be done, on earth as in heaven: a petition that the divine purpose to establish the kingdom, a purpose present now in heaven, be executed on earth.

* [6:11] Give us today our daily bread: the rare Greek word epiousios, here daily, occurs in the New Testament only here and in Lk 11:3. A single occurrence of the word outside of these texts and of literature dependent on them has been claimed, but the claim is highly doubtful. The word may mean daily or “future” (other meanings have also been proposed). The latter would conform better to the eschatological tone of the whole prayer. So understood, the petition would be for a speedy coming of the kingdom (today), which is often portrayed in both the Old Testament and the New under the image of a feast (Is 25:6; Mt 8:11; 22:1–10; Lk 13:29; 14:15–24).

* [6:12] Forgive us our debts: the word debts is used metaphorically of sins, “debts” owed to God (see Lk 11:4). The request is probably for forgiveness at the final judgment.

* [6:13] Jewish apocalyptic writings speak of a period of severe trial before the end of the age, sometimes called the “messianic woes.” This petition asks that the disciples be spared that final test.

* [6:14–15] These verses reflect a set pattern called “Principles of Holy Law.” Human action now will be met by a corresponding action of God at the final judgment. (Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. John Shea, SJ comments that Paul makes him­self vul­ner­a­ble, express­ing his love for the Corinthi­an Chris­tians. Why? Per­haps because Paul was ground­ed in the Lord’s prayer. In a few brief sen­tences, this sim­ple prayer implies a per­son­al rela­tion­ship with God on whom we depend for all our needs. It shows our humil­i­ty as we expe­ri­ence God’s lov­ing pow­er while acknowl­edg­ing God as our mod­el of for­give­ness and rela­tion­ship with oth­ers. It unites us with Christ as we pro­fess our mem­ber­ship in the fam­i­ly of God.

The Lord’s Prayer can func­tion as a mantra for Chris­tians. When we inter­nal­ize this prayer, it shapes our entire life: our beliefs, our behav­ior, our whole rela­tion­ship with God and with one anoth­er. If we pray it con­stant­ly, it becomes the heart­beat of our lives. We will not be drawn away by those who come, as Paul says, “preach­ing anoth­er Jesus than the one we preached.” We will be open to those whose Chris­t­ian beliefs and prayer may dif­fer from ours. The sim­ple mod­el of this prayer leads us to greater uni­ty with Christ, with our Cre­ator and with oth­er Christians. (Shea, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Blessed are they who recognize their Father!” by Tertullian, 160-225 A.D.

"Our Lord so frequently spoke to us of God as Father. He even taught us to call none on earth father, but only the one we have in heaven (Matthew 23:9). Therefore, when we pray to the Father, we are following this command. Blessed are they who recognize their Father! Remember the reproach made against Israel, when the Spirit calls heaven and earth to witness, saying, 'I have begotten sons and they have not known me' (Isaiah 1:2). In addressing him as Father we are also naming him God, so as to combine in a single term both filial love and power. Addressing the Father, the Son is also being addressed, for Christ said, 'I and the Father are one.' Nor is Mother Church passed over without mention, for the mother is recognized in the Son and the Father, as it is within the church that we learn the meaning of the terms Father and Son." (excerpt from ON PRAYER 2.2-6) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 6:7-15 shares the words of St. Augustine to help us find new life in a very familiar prayer.

“When we pray, Hallowed be thy name, we are counseling ourselves to desire that his name may be held holy among all people…

 “When we pray, Thy kingdom come, which will certainly come whether we want it to or not, we can stir our desire for that kingdom…

“When we pray, Give us this day our daily bread, we mean right now, this present moment. ‘Bread’ can signify whatever will be sufficient for us to live today… 

“When we pray, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, we are advising ourselves both about what we should ask for and what we should do to be worthy to receive it…

“When we pray, Lead us not into temptation, we are encouraging ourselves to look to God for his help so that we don’t find ourselves left to our own inadequate defenses…

“Finally, when we pray, Deliver us from evil, we can bring ourselves to reflect on the fact that we are not yet in that blessed condition where we will be free of all evil…

 

—Adapted from St. Augustine’s Letter to Proba.

“Heavenly Father, let your kingdom come in my heart today!” (Meditation on Matthew 6:7-15, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler identifies in the latter part of the 2 Corinthians “the angry letter” condemning super apostles who have arrived with the “true message” of God. Paul defends his humility, preaching and receiving support from others.  Matthew, in the Sermon on the Mount, warns against babbling like pagans by using a formula of  “right words at the right time”. The prayer in Matthew is fully developed but Luke’s disjointed petitions are more likely Jesus' way. In the liturgical formula of Matthew, the “Our Father” emphasizes praise, surrender, intercession, forgiveness, and petitional words. Friar Jude reminds us that our hearts are closed if we cannot forgive others and notes the Italian phrase “deliver us from the trial” as he wonders if we will be strong enough to ask for deliverance.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces writer Danté Stewart who shares how, when watching video footage of protest marchers, he witnessed joy and hope amid suffering.

I looked again at … the videos of millions marching in solidarity, and I saw so much more. I saw joy. I saw intimacy. I saw bodies let loose. I saw tears of strength in the face of danger. I saw heaven smiling as love was cast on Earth’s threshing floor. I saw so much joy. It was not simply resistance; it was power. I saw the good news. I saw a better story than the story we were offered. The beauty of this moment showed that suffering is not the total image. This is a moment of faith, flying one would say. I see an unexpected glimpse into public bravery, the willingness to rise again. There is something about these images that calls out to me to sit still; to ponder, to anticipate life beyond brutality.  

This joy is love dancing with reality, humanity. I saw the complex and complicated relationship with hope, a tragic but necessary one if it is to become what it can become— beautiful. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

We have a mantra in the Lord’s Prayer that brings our relationship with God to the forefront of whatever we are living in the moment. It is a valuable connection to our experience of the Divine.

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Readings. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/6?7 

Meditation on Matthew 6:7-15. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/06/19/1309148/ 

Psalms, PSALM 111. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/111?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Protest, Pain, and Joy. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/protest-pain-and-joy/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Your Heavenly Father Knows What You Need. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jun19 

Shea, J. (2025, June 19). Daily Reflection June 19, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-19-2025 

2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Readings. Retrieved June 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/11?1