In the early days of Holy Week, the Old Testament readings at Mass are taken from Isaiah. They are the well-known Songs of the Suffering Servant. They speak of a servant of the Lord who will, by his suffering, unite a scattered people, bear the burden of their sins, and ultimately draw all nations to worship the God of Israel. Christians believe that these words are fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  

Isaiah’s prophecies are the lens through which we are to view the stories of rivalry, greed, and betrayal that play out in the Gospels this week. From a purely human perspective, the treason of Judas might suggest that Jesus’ inner circle is losing confidence in him and that his movement is on the verge of collapse. Would anyone blame Jesus if he were to conclude, in Isaiah’s words, that “I had toiled in vain, and for nothing uselessly spent my strength”?  

Yet those are not his words. Rather—incredibly!—he says, “now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.” Shaped by Isaiah’s words, Jesus sees the divine drama unfolding, understands his place in it, and accepts that what is to come is the means by which “salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”  

Today’s scriptures remind us that we often cannot see everything that God is doing. As we journey through this week, let us allow Isaiah’s words to cast light on our lives and on our world.  

Deacon J. Peter Nixon  

J. Peter Nixon is a deacon serving in the Diocese of Oakland, California. A regular contributor to Give Us This Day, he holds a master’s degree in theology from the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.