B: Palm Sunday (28 March 2021) - MY SUFFERING IS YOUR SUFFERING (Isa 50:4-7)

“I have given my back to scourgers and my cheeks to blows, but I did not turn away my face from the shame of spittings” (Isa 50:6).

These are the words of the prophet Isaiah in our first reading today. It speaks about the willingness of the so-called Suffering Servant to face and endure any form of chastisements, viz., beating, scourging, blowing, spitting, and mocking. Despite all these physical afflictions, the servant elected not to complain, not disobeying God nor contradicting this tragic thread of events (v. 5). Instead, he fully surrendered himself to God, exclaiming, “And the Lord became my helper; therefore I was not disgraced, but I have set my face like solid rock” (v. 7).

This image of the Suffering Servant as a faithful and pious martyr is used to describe, too, Jesus especially in his ensuing passion in the gospels, which is remembered dearly in this week’s liturgical celebration of the Easter Triduum. Both these biblical characters showed a disposition of enduring anything in perfect obedience to God and in submission to the Divine Plan. Thus, it may be said that they were perfectly following God’s commands, obeying almost blindly his designs. But in reality, they were espousing voluntarily maltreatment and abuse, not solely to please God, but in solidarity with the similar grueling experience of their community members. They decided to suffer for God and with the people, empathizing with everybody.

Indeed, what is often understated in our first reading today is the Suffering Servant’s virtue of embracing suffering in solidarity with the suffering of the world. This is best exposed in the last verses of the text of Isaiah 50, where he enjoined the people who suffered with him, encouraging them as follows: “Who among you is the one who fears the Lord? Let him hear the voice of his servant.... Look, all of you, kindle a fire, and make a flame stronger. Walk by the light of your fire and by the flame you have kindled (vv. 10-11).

The same idea of global solidarity is expressed by Pope Francis in his message to Iraqis in view of his visit to their country on March 5-8, 2021. Recognizing the immense persecution and even martyrdom of some Christians in an unfriendly environment, the Pontiff consoles them: “Let us not allow the terrible suffering you have experienced, which grieves me so much, to prevail.” Similarly, speaking on the recent civil conflicts in Myanmar, he told those who stood tall against the military dictatorship last March 17, 2021, “I too kneel on the streets of Myanmar and say: stop the violence! I too reach out my arms and say: may dialogue prevail!”

“My suffering is your suffering.” The same phrase should also be our mantra as we reach the one-year mark of the COVID-pandemic crisis. As we continue to grieve the loss of friends and even dread ending up the same due to the resurgence of infections everywhere, let our global solidarity in suffering be our source of consolation and strength, inspired by the great example of Jesus—the perfect personification of the Suffering Servant—who embraces the way of the cross with perfect faith, hopeful of the promised glorious resurrection at the end of the road.

- Rex Fortes, CM