BEHOLD, MY SERVANT
Yesterday, we reflected on two aspects of God, His compassion and His mercy. What struggles, trials, ailments, and hardships do you and I bring to Him?
In today’s Gospel of Matthew we can place ourselves as one of the many people who followed Jesus as He escaped from the Pharisees’ attempt to put Him to death. St. Matthew tells us that “He cured them all” (Mt 12:15b)! Imagine what it must have been like to see so many people with Jesus, bringing Him their ailments and sickness, and witness the joy that must have encapsulated every fiber of their being as they were cured! I’m sure they couldn’t wait to tell their friends, family members, and everyone they encountered, about their miraculous healing received from Jesus.
Now, imagine what their thoughts were when He instructed the people “not to make Him known” (Mt 12:16). How could they refrain from proclaiming the miracles Jesus had done for them? But, His instruction “was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: ‘Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break; a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope’” (Mt 12:18-21).
We, too, can experience the miracles of Jesus in our daily lives if we are “following Him” – living in His shadow. Perhaps they’re not as poignant as the ones we hear about in Matthew’s Gospel, but do we take the time to look for the miracles in our lives? Yesterday, we reflected on two aspects of God, His compassion and His mercy. What struggles, trials, ailments, and hardships do you and I bring to Him? Let’s follow Him with eagerness and expectation as we, too, witness His miracles!
Today, we honor Saint Apollinaris, the first bishop of Ravenna, Italy. It is believed that he was ordained a bishop by St. Peter, who then sent him to Ravenna. As we hear about Jesus’ miracles of healing, we also remember St. Appollinaris, who was well known for his powers to heal in the name of Christ! He suffered great persecution and died as a martyr. Ravenna became an important city when the Emperor chose it for his residence in 404. Today, it is home to a number of important works of art – mosaics – especially the ones in the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and the Churches of San Apollinare Nuove, San Vitale, and San Apollonare in the nearby town of Classe. Learn more online about this splendid sacred art.
“Behold, My servant whom I have chosen!”