(Is.49:3,5-6;   Ps.40:2,4,7-10;   1Cor.1:1-3;   Jn.1:29-34)   “I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength!”   John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is “the Son of God,” the One upon whom he has seen “the Spirit come down and remain.”  And we are all His servants, made holy only in Him.  John declares his own servitude, speaking of “the one who sent [him] to baptize with water,” and stating, “A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because He existed before me.”  His witness to Jesus and the strength he takes from Him is clear, as is the case with St. Paul, who declares himself “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,” and goes on to say that, indeed, all the Church is “called to be holy” in Jesus Christ.  This call from the Lord to be His servant, and that it is through His servants the Lord shows His glory, is prophesied in strength by Isaiah in our first reading, showing that even before Christ came to be born among us He indeed existed and through Him the Father called His servants, His children, to Himself.  For Isaiah speaks for God, saying, “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”  Here he speaks of Jesus; here he knows even in his time of the salvation the Lord brings. And David in our psalm echoes the same theme of the servitude of Christ and the servitude in Christ to which all are called, and which acts as a light to this world.  “Ears open to obedience you gave me,” proclaims the great and humble king, and sings as if in the voice of Christ: “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, to do your will, O God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”  What great blessing it indeed is to share in the servitude of Jesus, to have His song placed in our mouths, to make our lives “a hymn to our God.”  He makes us His own and we share in the blood that flows through His veins when we place ourselves in the service of the Lord. The Lord calls.  He is among us now and has made His salvation known.  Through the prophets, through the Baptist, through His apostles and martyrs and saints – through “all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” He reveals His glory day to day.  It is His desire that we be strong in Him as we join to Him and are baptized by Him with the Holy Spirit.  His grace and peace He would leave with us, His glory He would reveal through us, if His servants we would make ourselves this day.  Find your strength in Him, brothers and sisters.  He stoops toward you and hears your cry, and will instill His song of praise in your hearts, to be declared to all the world.   Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt.   Music: "Miracle" from Listening to the Lamp, ninth album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt.   ******* O LORD, may we all testify that Jesus is the Son of God; by Him may all souls be saved.  YHWH, ears open to obedience give us that we might be your servants, that we might be as the Body of your only Son, doing your will in all things, ever making Him known.  Let all we do testify to His presence in our midst that salvation may come to all men, even to the ends of the earth.  Your apostles, your prophets, please make us, crying out your way, calling all to holiness in the Lamb of God. Jesus is the One who is greater than us, greater than any man who has walked this earth, for only He is your Son, dear God; only He sanctifies the human race by His blessed sacrifice.  Let our lips not be restrained, but let us declare His glory to all souls. You have stooped toward us, O LORD; through Jesus you have shown us your glory.  Your Servant you have called and sent among us that we all might become your servants in Him.  O let your law be so in our hearts and the doing of your will our delight!  Alleluia!