Jesus’ life was sacrificed, and leading up to that, he was humiliated and suffered immensely. The readings this week focus on Jesus’ sacrifice and the last week before his crucifixion. The sacrifice Jesus made for us gave us the hope that we can be redeemed in eternal life beyond death. In the first reading, Isaiah 50:4-7, we are told we should listen to his teachings. We are also told to stand firm, even through humiliation, and to be supported by God. This is exactly what Jesus did, and we should be like him because he saved us. Stand tall, and don't be ashamed of your faith.
In the second reading, we hear more about the humiliation Jesus endured while still standing with God. Christ embraced humility and became human. He obeyed God till his death and fulfilled his prophecy. Because of this, Jesus was elevated and is now honored as the Lord. Even through embarrassment and hatred, Jesus still stood with God and trusted in his plan.
In the Gospel, we hear about the last week of Jesus’ life. He was overcome with betrayal and mockery. He was failed by Judas, and faced denial by Peter. Even though there were all these doubts, Jesus fulfilled God's prophecy. He showed us how much he loved us, even after his suffering. He gave us hope for what's beyond death, and this all happened because he stood with God.
It can be really hard to stand by God sometimes. It can be hard for me because a lot of my friends aren't very connected to religion. Sometimes, their jokes can offend me, and I don't feel like I want to be a part of them. Sometimes, I try to tell them, “ Maybe you shouldn’t say that,” but for the most part, I just stay quiet. I feel humiliated to be a burden and ruin the fun. Lately, I have been trying to be better at standing up for what I believe in and standing with God, even if that means weird looks and embarrassment. Jesus stood with God and spread good through God’s word, even throughout being shamed on the way to his death. I will try to be like him. We are told, “Christ became obedient to the point of his death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name of which is above every name.”. Jesus’ strength towards God ended in a great reward. So, even though it's hard, I will try to find the strength to stand with God, too.
The intention of these readings is to show that humility can lead to glorification in the name of God. These readings also help us recognize that standing up for your faith can definitely be humiliating, but when we trust God and follow through with our faith, we will be gifted a loving eternal life.
Even when Jesus was on his way to death, he still stood with God and trusted his plan. Stand up for what you believe in, and stand with God, for you will be rewarded. Try to find the strength like Jesus did, because even through immense suffering, he still stood with God and did what he had to do to fulfill the prophecy.