The Benedict Year › Reading Backwards from the Pascha
Hilary · Weeks 19–20
The Servant and the Waters
The fourth and fifth readings of the Vigil, with Isaiah 53 beside them: not in the Vigil, and not optional.
Why it is here
Acts 8 stands in for a Father of the Church because it is the move, earlier: a man reads Isaiah 53 aloud, asks who it means, is told, and asks at once for water.
What is it for?
The rain and the word. The text answers: they do not return empty, but do what they were sent for (Isaiah 55:10–11).
Unanswerable
Who is the servant? Jews and Christians have read this differently for two thousand years, and both readings are serious. Say so plainly.
The weeks
| Week | Dates | Read aloud |
|---|---|---|
| Week 19 | 1–5 February 2027 | The servant: Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Acts 8:26–40 |
| Week 20 | 8–12 February 2027 | Come to the waters: Isaiah 54:5–14; Isaiah 55:1–11 |
Books for this unit
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