It is 2nd December 2020.
The readings are from Isaiah 25:6-10; and the Gospel from Matthew 15:29-37.
The Messianic Kingdom invites us all to participate the messianic banquet. It is not merely a sumptuous meal alone but the presence of healing. God wants to show the intensity of love towards us in front of all people. ““You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.” (Ps.23:5).
In the first reading, God assures us through the prophet Isaiah that “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.” (Is.25:8). The Advent is the time of wiping the tears of the other and to share the best with the others. During this restricted time, we need to explore the ways and means of sharing our food with those who are hungry and homeless around us. Most of us are comfortable to dine with someone whom we know and familiar with, but the passage of the day invites us to do something different. We can bring Heaven closer to the poor by feeding them. Bringing closer to each other, we can come closer to God.
The responsorial Psalm invokes, “I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” (Ps.23:6).
Jesus himself showed His concern for the hungry listeners and inviting the Apostles to share with them what they have. Three days people were listening to Jesus and Jesus was worried about their welfare. “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.” (Mt.15:32). Whatever little we have, if we are willing to place in front of Jesus, we have in abundance to share with many more.
The is interested in feeding us with the Word and the food. It is not enough we encourage, motivate and counsel people when they are in need, it is our moral duty to care for them materially too. We all participate in the Eucharistic meal and what do we do after the banquet of the Lord? We all received from the Lord for our spiritual wellbeing. Our receiving needs to leads us to give those who are hungry. God’s banquet of love, mercy and healing is never ending and our love for the humanity cannot stop for any reason however valid it might be. It is the perfect time of giving. Are we ready to give? Let us give someone so quietly without photo to be displayed in any social media. “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” (Mt. 6:3). May the Lord kindly bless our giving and grant us peace. Have a lovely day.