Understanding the Word

By Dianne Bergant, C.S.A.

The dynamics of hearing and speaking are featured prominently in the first  reading’s passage from Isaiah. God has appointed the speaker to a particular  ministry and has provided him ears to hear God’s word and a well-trained tongue  to speak that word to others. This word is alive and fresh each day, for God opens  the speaker’s ears morning after morning. This means that the speaker must be  always attentive to hear the word that comes from God. A heavy price is exacted  of the speaker. He suffers both physical attack and personal insult. Despite this,  he does not recoil from his call.  

The reading from Paul is one of the New Testament’s most important  Christological statements. The first verse sets the tone for the actions of Christ  Jesus. He did not cling to the dignity that was rightfully his, but he emptied himself of all privilege. Though in the form of God, he chose the form of a servant or  slave. Without losing his Godlike being, he took on the likeness of human beings.  Having taken on the form of a slave, he became obedient like a slave. The exaltation of Christ is as glorious as his humiliation was debasing. All will praise Christ,  whose exaltation gives glory to God. 

The Passion account from Matthew’s Gospel is a collection of episodes that tell  the story of Jesus’ last days. Though in several episodes Jesus appears to be the  passive object of the brutality of others, it is quite clear that he is really in charge  of his destiny. He makes many of the major decisions. Then he hands himself  over to others, allowing them to decide his fate in those cases. Jesus declares  that the time of his death and resurrection is the kairós time, that decisive moment  when the promises of God are brought to fulfillment. The reading closes at the  sealed tomb. Neither Pilate nor the Jewish leaders realize that everything is now  in place for the eschatological event of the Resurrection. 

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