". . . he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
Not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street . . .
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people, . . ."Isaiah goes on to tell us we are to live with the people, as a covenant, fully immersed, giving our all, forever. That is how we bring forth justice. Mary may not have said a word as she perfumed Jesus' feet with the fragrant oil and filled the the small community with the fragrance of love. When we love we crave justice and peace for all; it becomes palpable. We cannot help but be moved to do something!
The silence of which Isaiah speaks and that present in Bethany (Judas is the only one who utters a word in the gospel) is almost a foreshadowing of the stark suffering silence as we stand at the foot of the cross on Calvary and cannot utter a single intelligible word. Yet we are transformed, our world is shattered and we have the infinite power to bring justice to those reduced to oppression and neglect.
We can change the world and we can do it not only in using our voices but in the silent ways in which we live our lives -- in our generosity, our faithfulness, the respect we show to others, and the affirmation and value we bestow on those whom we meet everyday. We can elevate the poor and oppressed with a gentle touch, a listening ear, a kind heart. I love the video that went viral of the teenager who genuflected at the feet of a sleeping homeless man and prayed for him. It is not so much the action that impressed me, but the attitude of reverence that deeply touched me. The reverence of Mary, Martha and the covenant of which Isaiah speaks; it is the attitude of reverence in the silence of our hearts can transform our world.
MOM
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