Back in the day when posters were the rage in a college dorm I remember one that read: Some people make things happen. Some people let things happen. And other people wonder what happened. That last description applies to those first followers of Jesus after the events surrounding his death and resurrection. A suffering messiah who wouldn’t even extinguish a smoldering wick was not what they expected. To understand the meaning of Jesus’ life — and in particular the mystery of his death — they went to the tradition, to the story of God’s dealings throughout history. What helped them in particular were the “Songs of the Suffering Servant” in the second part of the prophet Isaiah. As we wrestle with the “ball of confusion. that’s what the world is today” we should go back into our own traditions, salvation history and the history of the Church, to help us see the plan and action of God at work.
