15th Saturday in Ordinary Time – Matthew 12:14-21
Today the Pharisees begin to plot against Jesus. They were so threatened by Jesus and his influence that they decided that he needed to be put to death. When Jesus realized that he was in danger, he decided to withdraw to a secluded place. However, a large number of people followed him. He healed the sick and cured them all! Jesus then asked the people not to “make him known.” He realized that this would only intensify the Pharisees’ vendetta against him. Clearly Jesus realized that his “end” was not far off.
Jesus said all of this to fulfill a prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1-4). The passage from Isaiah that Jesus quotes is a tender passage. Isaiah speaks of God’s servant as the “One” who had been chosen. This servant is “God’s beloved One” in whom God delights. And God has placed the Spirit upon his servant. The “servant” is to proclaim justice and liberty to all the Gentiles!
Today, we are the “Gentiles” to whom Jesus proclaims justice and liberty for all. When we receive this message, we also are to proclaim justice and liberty for all. And as with Jesus, our proclamation must flow from our relationship with God and from our prayer.
Today, we are the servants God has chosen. We are God’s beloved! We are God’s delight! What more could we ask for? Our world desperately needs to hear of Jesus’ love and his message. The very least we can do is to proclaim Jesus’ message with our lives, our words and our actions! The question is: will we choose to do so today?
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