Homily First Wednesday of Advent (Mt. 15:29-37) “The Banquet that Heals”
Homily First Wednesday of Advent (Mt. 15:29-37) “The Banquet that Heals”
During the first part of Advent we see a pattern develop in the Scriptures. We usually have a prophesy that is described in the Old Testament reading and then in the Gospel there is the fulfillment of that prophesy in the ministry of Jesus.
Today, we read in Isaiah about the eschatological banquet on Mt. Zion. We might ask what eschatology all about? Eschatology concerns the last things. On the last day of history there will be an end to the ills of the world. There will be no more hunger or physical suffering or war or any other difficulty.
For a Christian this would be a description of the second coming of Jesus. When Jesus comes at the end of time suffering will end for the righteous. We remember the parable of sheep and the goats. The faithful ones will have their wounds bound up; they will no longer be hungry, nor will they need to worry about threats and violence.
We read of the people coming to Jesus on the mountain. The people have heard of his healing powers. The lame can walk, the mute speak, those with physical challenges of any kind were restored to full health.
What does Jesus’ arrival signal? The Advent of Jesus ushers in the beginning of the eschatological time. We are living in the middle of that time even though we seldom think about it. The Eucharist is the symbol of the banquet that will be served in the final episode of salvation history.
We can receive reassurance and spiritual healing at Mass. We are fed by God’s word and we are nourished at the Eucharistic table. Jesus is present as he was present on the mountain in the Gospel and he offers us food and drink. If we have a true understanding of the Eucharist, we never can partake of it enough.
Reflection Questions:
- Have I ever experienced Jesus’ healing power? How and when was that?
- What do I look forward to when I think of meeting Jesus? What malady to I want to have healed?
Dear Parishioners,
Advent is a time of abstaining. One thing that I am aware of is that I can waste a lot of time on the computer or watching television. This seems to have been especially the case over the last nine months. There has been constant news about the pandemic and the election.
Psychologists tell us that it can be depressing to be constantly absorbing news. Most of the news we consume is about crime, corruption and failure. The world is really not as bad as it is portrayed. The minute a disaster happens on the other side of the world we know about it. Sometimes having a little time to process is helpful.
It might be good during Advent to abstain every day from social media. We might be surprised to find that our sense of hope increases exponentially.
May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark