LISTENING TO GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS - B: 24th Sun in OrdTime

First Reading: Isa 50:5-9 (12 September 2021)

“The Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward” (NRSV Isa 50:5).

This is how our First Reading begins, that God was the one who made the prophet Isaiah realize the meaning of the events transpiring before him. However, this English translation is the direct rendition of the Masoretic Text in Hebrew, i.e., ’adōnāy yhwh pātaḥ-li ’ōzen. The Greek Septuagint rendition of this verse is slightly different, i.e., kai hē paideia kyriou anoigei mou ta ōta. Comparing the two versions, one can instantly notice the added element of hē paideia in the Greek text, which means “the instruction.” Thus, the New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS) translates Isa 50:5 as “And the instruction of the Lord opens my ears.”

The term paideia is defined as “the act of providing guidance for responsible living” or “the state of being brought up properly.” It is derived from the Greek word pais, which means “a young person normally below the age of puberty” or “one who is committed in total obedience to another” (cf. BDAG). What is revelatory here is that this expression connotes a kind of openness to learning in a disciple-master relationship. Particularly, Isaiah is featured in this context as an ideal student who is receptive of the teachings he could get from God’s education or training of him. For this reason, we can understand better Isa 50:4 when it says,

“The Lord gives me the tongue of instruction, that I may know in season when it is necessary to speak a word. He assigned it to me in the morning; he added to me an ear to hear” (NETS).

Adopting this rendition of the NETS, I think, clarifies better Isa 50:5. It tells us that God did not only open the ears of Isaiah (cf. NRSV), but even gave him concrete detailed contents of what he needed to hold on to and to witness to in his prophetic mission. The context of Isaiah 50 is about God’s concrete explanation of the catastrophes that befell the Israelite community. It is best presented in v. 1 when it states, “Thus says the Lord: Where is your mother’s bill of divorce with which I put her away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? No, because of your sins you were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was put away.” Nonetheless, in the end, God was motivating his people to keep their optimism alive despite the troubles of life:

“But all of you are kindlers of fire, lighters of firebrands. Walk in the flame of your fire, and among the brands that you have kindled!” (Isa 50:11).

Our present pandemic crisis has badly affected all of us. No one can deny the tragic blow it has given the whole world. This event is not a mere misfortune that occurs every century. Rather, it is a clear signpost reminding us of our common sinfulness: our misgivings to the oppressed and to mother-Earth, our focus on wealth and material comforts, our failures to value human relationships, and our incessant greed for earthly satisfaction and greater control of life.

May we, then, become open to the daily spiritual learnings we can gain from this crisis. May we become receptive students of quotidian insight. May we not become numb to the profound meaning of our troubles by squandering learnable values. May we become faithful children who listen to the voice of our Father in heaven.

May we be open to his day-to-day instructions.

- Rex Fortes, CM