Some of the most profoundly touching descriptions of Jesus and his life come not from the New Testament Gospels, but from the Old Testament writings of the Prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah’s writings include five “songs,” called the Servant Songs or the Suffering Servant Songs.  Traditionally, the Church has considered the servant in these songs to be Jesus, meaning that these are prophetic songs about him.

Prophecy can be a misleading word.  We often think of it as telling the future, and prophecies either come true or they flop.  A more helpful understanding is to see these words of Isaiah as being fulfilled in Jesus, which means that he fills in the meaning of the words rather than the words rigidly defining him.  In our scripture for this week, Jesus himself uses this understanding of prophecy as he begins his public ministry.

As we reflect on the Servant Songs this Lent, we will consider them as love songs written to us as God’s beloved ones.  As love songs, they open us up to better grasp the love of Jesus for us and how we are called to love God and our neighbors.