Tower Topics ~ Spring 2003

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‘Songs of the Servant of the Lord’

Dear Friends,

Greetings of peace from Conception Abbey.

The season of Lent is upon us. It is a time of renewal for us, both as individuals and as communities of faith. How do we enter into that experience of renewal? What is our focus, our inspiration? Christ is always our inspiration and focus, and the liturgy leads us through the mystery of suffering and death to the glory of the resurrection and new life.

When we set out on a time of renewal, it is important to have our goals before us; we want to see what the end point will be. I would suggest that the liturgy of the final week of Lent, which we call Holy Week, shows us Christ in a way that enlivens our faith, that is both realistic and hopeful. It is in the image of a servant.

In the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, there are four poems known as the Songs of the Servant of the Lord (Isa 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9a; 52:13-53:12). Each of these poems portrays God’s Servant in a different way. The first poem describes the Servant as the mediator of justice, showing compassion and pity, especially to the poor and the weak. The second poem portrays the Servant as a prophet, speaking God’s word and serving as a light to those who dwell in darkness. The third poem depicts the Servant as God’s own disciple, schooled each day in the divine word, speaking and living it with strength and courage. And the fourth poem pictures the Servant as the one who suffers, but whose pain is redemptive and liberating for others.

In the early Church, the first Christians saw the life of Jesus in these images of the Servant. These poems served not only to describe Christ, but also to show them how they might imitate Jesus, giving them a model for true Christian holiness. Being God’s servant in imitation of Jesus the Servant came to be a way of understanding oneself as a committed Christian, as a person on the path to eternity.

These inspiring and stirring poems still echo today in the Church’s liturgy and in the hearts of those who hear them. These poems stimulate our minds and hearts to reflect on how we, today in our present situation, might be servants, true servants whatever our vocation may be. Whether it be in a genuine expression of compassion toward someone in need, or in speaking the truth with love in a difficult situation, we extend the kingdom of God and follow the path that leads to abundant life.

Patterning our lives on Jesus the Servant shows us the way to true peace and genuine joy. From my youth, I remember a saying that struck me, and still stays with me: “There is no greater joy for Christians than to know that their lives serve.” May this Lenten season be a time of inner renewal for us all as we strive to imitate the Servant, sharing in his mission and finding the joy that transforms us in wondrous new ways.

Sincerely in Christ,

Abbot Gregory J. Polan, O.S.B.

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