Reparation

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Reparation

Divine     Just

Offering     Surrendering     Amending

Interceding For Our Transgressions

Atonement

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Isaiah 53: 10b to 12

By making his life as a reparation offering, he shall see his children, shall lengthen his days, and the will of the Lord shall be fulfilled through him. Because of his suffering, he shall see the light; because of his wisdom, he shall be happy.

My servant, the just one, shall justify the many.

He shall bear their sin.

Therefore I will give him his share among the many.

He shall divide the spoils with those in power.

Because he surrendered himself to death, he was counted among the transgressors.

He bore the sins of the many and interceded for the transgressors.

Reflection

Isaiah speaks of a person who is willing to give his life to help others. He talks of a "servant" who will take on suffering.

This suffering will lead to the "light". It is not suffering for the sake of suffering. It is a suffering that leads to wisdom.

The servant will justify the people by bearing their sin. The servant is not afraid of death because it will lead to life for everyone.

In his prophecy Isaiah shows us the way to Jesus. "No greater love can a person have than to be willing to lay down one's life for one's friends." 

Jesus responds to His call from the Father. It is a call to let others know how deeply God loves them.

There is nothing that can stand in the way of that Love. Jesus is willing to embrace suffering and death because He has the wisdom that comes from being at one with God.

He shows us what that atonement is. We have no fear because we know that our God is with us. 

His life is an offering for us. He holds nothing back.

He leads us in the struggle to establish justice. If we are to truly be at one with God, we are called to love others, especially those most in need. 

The reparations that have been paid are a sign of that justice. In our time there are many calls for reparations. 

The reparations are an attempt to heal the hurts that have been caused by sin---the sin of not treating other people in a dignified way. Jesus shows us that His Passion, Death, and Resurrection have overcome that sin.

He shows us how to become one with God and with others. The Victory has been won!

1. How does suffering lead to wisdom?

2. What is your experience of atonement?

3. Why are reparations necessary?

(scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)