The Banquet of the Lord

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Wednesday of 1st Week of Advent, Year C, December 1st, 2021
Texts: Isaiah 25:6-10a; Ps. 23:1-6; Matthew 15:29-37
Today's Readings show that the One we await is coming to fulfil our longing for happiness, joy forever. Isaiah, in today's first reading, speaks of this in term of banquet.  He says, "The LORD Of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of choice wines—of fat things full of marrow, of choice wines well refined." Banquet is a moment of merriment, joy and sharing of love. It is a symbol of eternal bliss, the life of the saints; it is an expression of life of love and satisfaction in the kingdom of God. The Lord will be the one hosting; He is the One preparing the banquet. It is a banquet of love, where He will feed us with Himself, the beatific vision of Himself. It is also a banquet of praise, where we praise Him forever. We will be satisfied with beholding and praising Him forever. We should do everything to be part of the banquet.
 Being a banquet of beatific vision of God, who is the Truth, prophet Isaiah says, "And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations." The covering of ignorance will disappear, veil of falsehood and lie will be lifted because we are now beholding the Truth; the Truth is right before us. It is also a banquet of joy where God wipes away tears and death is conquered with resurrection. We conquer the fear of death with the hope of resurrection; with resurrection death is swallowed up. At the banquet reproach will be taken away because we will all be vindicated and rewarded. The reproach that the just dies in vain will be removed by resurrection; the reproach that it is vanity to be just will be removed by the reward of eternal life; the reproach that we suffer for Christ in vain will be removed by crown of glory. Prophet Isaiah tells us the words that will be on our lips: "It will be said on that day, 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.'”
Today's gospel reading tells us about Jesus being on the mountain and people coming to encounter Him. This is meant to show that Jesus Christ is God, for mountain is a place to encounter God. He healed the sick, made whole the maimed, made the lame walk, mute speak and blind see. He also fed the people. This tells us that today's first reading is fulfilled in Jesus Christ; he saves those who come to Him, He fulfills the longing for compassion, love, care and happiness. Let us continue to wait for Him, for in Him is our joy, peace and salvation.

Lord our God, heal the sick, make whole the maimed, make the lame walk, the mute speak, the deaf hear and the blind see; grant all of us your salvation. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke