Being God's Servant

Passion of our Lord/Palm Sunday – Isaiah
Isaiah 51.4-9a

What are the characteristics of God’s suffering servant? What can we learn from this particular portion about the nature of the servanthood God desires? For this is the servanthood Jesus practices………and urges on his followers.

This servant is a teacher, who begins by becoming a learner, because God “wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.” The teacher does not shrink from teaching, but accepts the derision of the people. God stands with the teacher, giving support.

Teachers like Jesus face rejection and mistreatment. Jesus warns his disciples that the world will hate those who speak in his name because the world has rejected Jesus (Jn 15.18-19).

There are many ways to hold power. We see one example in the Roman army—beating, arresting, torturing, crucifying. But God shows us another way. In becoming human and submitting to crucifixion, God shows the power of suffering and death to overcome all other powers.

We think of those who have shown us this power in our lifetime: Gandhi, Mandela, Parks, King. Their example is intimidating, but recognizing their call to servanthood can teach us something about our own call to be servants of God. For we, too, are called to this way of suffering love—we are called to offer ourselves to be used as God’s response to a suffering world…..today, where we live.

Today when I think of the suffering servant, I think of all the Palestinians, Israelis and international supporters who offer their bodies as they seek to change the unjust system that is causing daily suffering. On Good Friday, while we strip our altars, they will be marching to protest the theft of Palestinian land for the wall being built around their cities.

And, especially today, I think of Hana Al-Shalabi, offering her body to change an unjust system of imprisonment. She is in the 41^st day of a hunger strike protesting administrative detention—the Israeli practice of imprisoning political activists without charging them with a crime. [Photo: Hana’s supporters in Gaza City, March 26]

This week her sister Zahra was interviewed by Linah Alsaafin. The interview gives us some glimpses of Hana, after her release from prison in October:

“’We were all filled with immeasurable happiness,’ recounts Zahra. ‘Hana couldn’t believe she was out of prison. We stayed up past midnight on the day she was released, just chatting and laughing so much. She told me stories about life in prison, the types of dinners she’d cook with the other female prisoners, the sanitary conditions of the cells, all in a joking way.’

The four months between October and February were trouble-free days, bursting with dreams and ambitions. Hana loved to socialize and meet with people. She was busy with getting her papers in order to register for university, with her eyes set on enrolling at the American University in Jenin. She wanted to get her driver’s license, and later buy a car. She went on a shopping spree, buying new carpets and curtains for her bedroom, as well as new clothes since she couldn’t stand to wear the ones she owned before her imprisonment. Also she dreamed of getting married and of finding the perfect man to spend the rest of her life with.”

Servant God, you have created us in your image. Open our ears to hear your voice, help us find ways to follow you in your path of peace and reconciliation, and give us courage to risk suffering. Today, be with your servant Hana in her suffering. Amen.