Presence

Oh my God, I want to be in your presence, without distractions. I open my hands and my heart to receive your gifts during this time of prayer.

First Reading

Isaiah 25:6-10 NRSVue

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the covering that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “See, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain. The Moabites shall be trodden down in their place as straw is trodden down in the manure.

First Reading Reflection

It’s great to celebrate a happy occasion with a good meal. Whether it be a birthday, wedding anniversary, a return from hospital, graduation, new job or retirement, we say things like, ‘It’s great to be here’ or ‘It’s lovely to have everyone together.’ Today’s reading from the Book of Isaiah is not only about a good meal, but about God’s promise to us, that is, our salvation. Unlike most of our earthly celebrations, “all peoples” are invited. We are promised that “the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces” and that death will be destroyed forever. As Christians, we know that this promise will come through Jesus Christ, “the Lord for whom we have waited”. Some of us may be unaware that we need salvation, whereas many others know of their suffering; we only have to look around us to see how much we are in need of healing and the assurance of a love that lasts forever, a love that is stronger even than death.

Gospel

Matthew 15:29-37 NRSVue

After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the maimed, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat, and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” The disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?” Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of them ate and were filled, and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.

Gospel Reflection

The Gospel for today goes further with another meal and gives us a clue as to what salvation might mean. The people who had come to Jesus really needed help, healing and forgiveness. Their spiritual hunger was satisfied, but they were also physically hungry, after listening to Jesus’ teachings for three days. Salvation is not just for the next life but for all the ways we need wholeness in our lives now. Jesus wants to meet all of our needs, human and spiritual, and wants to show us that in him there is always enough, that his grace and provision are abundant. Probably the most important element of this event, however, is that it is when we share what we have with others, no matter how little, God ensures there is enough. This is the order of grace, which defies all human logic and human thinking, and we praise God for it.

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to wipe away the tears of those in pain, to be a comfort to them, just as you wipe away my tears and comfort me. Remind me that in you, there is always enough – enough love, enough provision, enough grace, for all my needs and the needs of each person in the world, if we love and share as Jesus did. Amen.