Return! To the Table of the Lord!

THE WORD IN ADVENT - First Wednesday

December 4, 2019: Isaiah 25:6-10; Matthew 15:29-37

The first reading in various words explains just one fact - that the Lord removes anything between us and God, that separates... the veil or the shroud, the sheet or the web, the tears, and yes, even death! What is the sign of it - that we go sit at the table of the Lord, the banquet that we are reminded of in the first reading and the responsorial psalm.

The Gospel speaks to us of the very many things that can hinder us from experiencing God: sickness, disease, hunger, poverty, crisis, concerns of daily life, our personal handicaps - all these can hinder us from feeling the presence of God with us, block our vision from looking at God's goodness, blind our hearts from living in the presence of the lord, darken our minds from giving glory to God's name! 

The season of advent invites us to come to the Lord, as the crowds came, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the dumb...so are we invited to go to the Lord with our problems, limitations, joys and sorrows...and the word says, "they laid them at his feet and he cured them!" (Mt 15:30) - so shall we do; let us lay them all, every thing that hinders us from living our life to the full, everything that prevents us from receiving the abundance of God's love, let us place them at the Lord's feet and the Lord will certainly heal us!

And then we shall join the banquet of the Lord. Seven loaves were nothing in front of that crowd, but they were transformed into a satisfying banquet. The Lord has the table set - and the Lord invites us, "Return!" Let us return to the table of the Lord!