Today’s first reading comes from someone who scholars call Deutero-Isaiah. This is an an anonymous writer whose works they believe is collected in the book of Isaiah. It is from him that we have the predictions of the suffering servant and the words of Jerusalem as the source of the light of the world.

We need to look at the context.

Here in the United States when we look at our history, one of the key points is what is known as the Civil War. This for those outside of our country, is when the Northern half of what was then the USA and the Southern half fought over the issue of States’ Rights as defined in the issue slavery. Our view of US History is often viewed in terms of that which was before the Civil War (Ante-Bellum) and that which was after the war. (Post-Bellum)

The Jews have similar periods in their history. For example, the golden age of Jewish history is the reign of King David about 1000 BC. Yet, they also have their dark periods similar to ours in the Civil War. One of the their most remembered is what is known as the Babylonian Exile which began in 587 BC and continued for 40 years.

After the reign of David came the reign of Solomon. During his administration, the kingdom split into two kingdoms: Israel in the North and Judah in the South. in the 700’s BC during the time of the Prophet Jeremiah, Assyria was on the march and conquered the Northern Kingdom and absorbed it into its Kingdom. The Southern Kingdom of Judah alone remained. In 587 BC the Babylonians invaded Judah and dragged their leaders and people into Babylon. They also destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. This lasted for forty years. Towards the end of those Forty years in the height of the people’s belief that all was lost. When they felt abandoned by God, Deutero-Isaiah is preaching saying that not only is not all lost, there will come a time when the whole world will look to Jerusalem for Salvation.

The Babylonian Exile ended when King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon and sent the Jews back to their land. He also rebuilt the Temple. This is why King Cyrus is so highly respected in Jewish scriptures.

We look at this time through the prism of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. It is 2500 years later and all that Deutero-Isaiah said has long come to happen.

However, if we look closely at the reading we see that God is addressing Israel, which is the people of God. He also ends this passage with the call that Israel will be a light of the nations to bring salvation to all. However, that prism changed in Jesus and now we are the extension of that call. You and I and the entire Church form the light to the nations to bring salvation to all. We need to look at that light in context.

When I was in US Navy bootcamp, I went through a process in which we were all broken down and rebuilt into sailors that we could serve our country. I remember arriving at bootcamp and feeling as if I had committed a crime in the way we were all treated. When I left we were sailors proud of our position.

Now many years later, I think we as Church in the United States have been through a similar process in which we were broken down through the crisis in the Church. Now many of us are being built up again so that we can be a light to the nations during what is proving to be a difficult time for the world.

Many are talking about a video that is showing how vulnerable the American economy is; others are realizing the world is changing and it does not seem as stable as it once was. Others are of a less drastic opinion. However, in either case, you are I are being formed into a holy nation that can be a light to nations. We have a calling to point to the salvation that God offers. It is time for us to embrace this role more than ever before.

This week, let us seek to make Christ and his reign the center of our lives, parishes, dioceses and church that we may grow in our ability to respond to God’s call.

God Bless you.

Fr. Robert J Carr

Fr. Carr is an alliance member of the New Song Community (Canção Nova). He is the pastor of St. Benedict Parish in Somerville, MA and is the editor of this blog.