Proclaim Justice

When Jesus became aware of this, he departed. Many crowds followed him, and he cured all of them, and he ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
“Here is my servant, whom I have chosen,
my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not wrangle or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
He will not break a bruised reed
or quench a smoldering wick
until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope. Matthew 12:15-21

When Americans think about justice, they often think about our courts and policing system, a TV show called Law and Order, or the fictitious superheroes that they admire. We don't often think about Christians, followers of Jesus, as a justice league. More often Christians are considered judgement leagues, condemning " lifestyles ", cultures, immigrants and other religions.

Jesus calls us to bring justice in his name to the gentiles - to those who in his time were outside the faith, culture, practices, orientation and race. If we want peace, someone once said, then we need to work for justice. God invites us not to isolate ourselves from others, but rather, seek our the other, and stand with them in their darkest days.

Today, I ask God to help me stand with the "other" and fight for justice in our time. May we know the light of God as we serve the least among us and as we welcome the outcast and the stranger for love's sake.