by Fr. John Martin Shimkus, O.S.B.

     The month of January contains three important secular observances: January 1, which as New Year’s Day has also been designated “World Day of Peace”; January 20, the observance of Martin Luther King’s birthday; and January 22, the anniversary of the deadly Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade and all the pro-life activities that go into making that date so symbolic.  These dates all falling in January puts an emphasis on the issue of justice, the justice and peace promoted by January 1, the justice of Dr. King’s Civil Rights Movement and the justice of simply having the right to born, brought to mind by the Roe v. Wade decision.  In fact, the month of January may be called the month of justice, a month that invites to recommit ourselves to the promotion of justice throughout the world.

     Sunday’s first reading expresses the concerns for justice as voiced by the prophet Isaiah.  We are told that a Messiah, a savior, will come and establish justice on earth.  We learn that this “servant of the Lord” will see to it that each person is given his or her due, and that basic human rights are respected.  At first we might presume that such a person would be a revolutionary, an aggressive, even violent champion of the poor.  But then we learn that God’s Messiah will establish justice in a far different way.  Isaiah says he will not do it by "crying out or shouting or making his voice heard in the street", not by force or violence, or oppression.  In fact, even a reed that is bent “he will not break” and a candle wick that is smoking but not quite gone out, he will not snuff it out.  That’s how peacefully the Messiah comes.  That is how  gentle and humble he is as he establishes God’s justice on the earth.

     This feast of the Baptism of the Lord, celebrates the inauguration of Jesus’ mission of justice.  It also calls to mind our own commitment to following this Messiah, for we too were baptized in water that made us sons and daughters of God.  While it is true that sometimes being part of Jesus’ mission requires “crying out . . .shouting . . . making our voice heard”, it most essentially consists of our day to day efforts to treat with patience and respect all those with whom we live and work, to be faithful to the promises we have made and to responsibilities we have on behalf of other people, and to reach out even beyond our own immediate families and surroundings with acts of healing and forgiveness as the Spirit directs.  This is the way to establish justice on earth.  This is how we fill this month and this New Year with the deeds of justice that our gentle Messiah has left us to accomplish!

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