Perfect love doesn’t quit.
During the season of Epiphany, the Gospel readings will give us examples of Jesus being made known as the Messiah, the Savior of the world. This weekend, we will hear John the Baptist identify Him as the Lamb of God. Some of John’s disciples followed Jesus to learn from Him. One of them, Andrew, after spending time with Jesus, immediately went to find his brother, Simon Peter, and brought him to Jesus. Obviously, Jesus made a strong impression on Andrew (and subsequently on Peter).
What is it about Jesus that impresses you? For me, the whole concept of the very Son of God coming from the glory of heaven to this earth, knowing full well the plan involved dying on the cross, leaves me in wonder and awe. Imagine living for over thirty years knowing what was coming at the cross. And imagine going through that timeframe interacting with many who were antagonistic and wanted you dead, despite all the wondrous things you were doing in healing the sick, accepting the marginalized, and even raising the dead. If it were me, I would have quit or lashed out in anger. But not Jesus. Perfect love doesn’t quit.
This weekend’s Old Testament reading from Isaiah 49 is a prophecy about Jesus, describing Him as a Servant. The One who deserved to have all people immediately bow down and worship and serve Him as the Shepherds and Magi did came to serve His Father by fulfilling His plan to reconcile the fallen world to Him. And as that perfect Servant, He also served us by doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are you impressed by that love? If so, it will be evident in your life, for the Holy Spirit will work in you the desire not only to follow Jesus, but to emulate Him, just as He worked in the disciples who walked with Jesus on this earth. And when it comes to emulating Jesus through service, the motivation is not to draw attention to ourselves and so be self-serving; rather, the motivation is compassion as we seek the good of the ones we are serving. And in so doing, we are also serving our Lord. As Jesus reminds us in His story of the separation of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25, the King will say to those who wondered why He said they had cared for Him when they did not recall seeing Him in need: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40)