It 5th December 2018. The readings are from Isaiah 25:6-10; and the Gospel from Matthew 15:29-37. Our hunger and thirst are not merely physical but it is deeply spiritual. Even though some of us are blessed with material affluence, yet we feel that there is something we have not felt satisfied which can only be done by the Lord alone. We have tears and scares known to the Lord alone. We have a vacuum in our soul longing to be filled in. God’s presence is the only nourishment for our inner sanctuaries that requires graces and blessings constantly. Our friends, relatives and human relationships cannot satisfy this type of hunger. It is possible only by God. “Surely this is our God; we trusted in God, and God saved us.” (Is. 25:9). It is so rightly found in the first reading in which God himself takes initiatives to invite us for a banquet that would take care of such hunger, pain, suffering of the soul, anxiety, and sickness. God promises us all during the Advent that God would remove the shroud and the blanket of pain and shame from our lives by inviting us to take part in the Messianic banquet. It is the feast that the Lord throws for all people not for particular group or so called pious and fanatic assemblies. All who believe in Jesus would be able to participate in this banquet of love, healing and mercy of God. “The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face; God will remove the disgrace of God’s people from all the earth.” (Is.25:8). God plans everything so meticulously in favour of us always. God wanted us to live for ever and never to taste death. It was the wilful attempt to tamper the plan of God and the disobedience of humanity that brought upon death on the entire humanity. None of us have a better plan to suggest to God. This passage leads us to connect with the victory of Jesus on the Cross by defeating the ultimate enemy of humanity is death. (1 Cor.15:54; Hosea 13:14) and the glorious presence of God with God’s people. (Rev.21:4). Just like Moab to Israel, we each one of us has an enemy who will be trampled as a manure by the mighty foot of God. Let us not be afraid to face the enemy. More we are afraid and hide, more they torture us, humiliate us and constantly refusing our peace and blessings. Let us make efforts to participate in the feast of the Lord daily than to find resources to defeat the enemy. God promises that when we participate in the Messianic banquet, God will deal with the enemy squarely. The responsorial Psalm intercedes, “In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.” (Ps. 22:6). The Gospel presents Jesus as our healer and provider of all human conditions. Jesus is still able to heal our wounds, wipe our tears and our broken human relationships. When we take all our cares and worries to the Lord in prayer, Jesus heals and makes them whole. No matter who is destroying our peace; however painful situation we are facing today, Jesus can handle it and He can make it in favour of our blessing, healing and success. Jesus is approaching every human heart to stretch towards those who are in pain and hunger. “I do not want to send them away hungry, they might collapse on the way.” (Mt. 15:32). The miracles of healing and soul satisfaction is possible for all those who are willing to share that little with Jesus. Our pain and suffering will be reduced to nothing by the very fact of sharing what we have with the Lord. Our Christian life is not just living in hope but it is the privilege of giving hope to the others. May you have a good day. God bless you.

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