Bible
Study: Isaiah 25, 6 to 10. And Matthew 15, 29 to 37.
Our first
reading today flows directly into our Gospel passage. Looking at both readings,
we can see how Isaiah prophesied and how this prophesy of Isaiah came to pass
almost word for word in the feeding of the 4,000 by Jesus Christ in the Gospel
passage.
Perhaps a little
analysis would give us a deeper understanding: In Isaiah 25, 6 to 8, we read: On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make
for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat
things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined. And he will destroy on
this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is
spread over all nations. He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord GOD
will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will
take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken.
Isaiah spoke
about a MOUNTAIN. In Matthew 15 verse 29, we read: “And Jesus went on from
there and passed along the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the MOUNTAIN, and
sat down there.”
Isaiah
said the Lord of Hosts will make a feast for all peoples. In Matthew 13 verse 30
to 31, we read: “And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the
maimed, the blind, the dumb, and many others, and they put them at his feet,
and he healed them, so that the throng wondered, when they saw the dumb
speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they
glorified the God of Israel.” The feast eventually began with healing and
restoration of health to many who had been deprived of living in sound health
as a result of sickness and deformities. In this way, Jesus wiped out their
tears and took away the reproach they suffered due to their sickness.
Then true
to the very words of Isaiah, Jesus proceeded to feed the people with real
physical food. As Matthew 15, 32 to 36 puts it, “Then Jesus called his
disciples to him and said, "I have COMPASSION on the crowd, because they
have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I AM UNWILLING
TO SEND THEM AWAY HUNGRY, lest they faint on the way." And the disciples
said to him, "Where are we to get bread enough in the desert to feed so
great a crowd?" 34 And Jesus said
to them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a
few small fish." And commanding the crowd to sit down on the ground, he
took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and
gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they
all ate and were satisfied.
Dear
friends, the Good News of Christmas is the joy that the God we serve is a God
who fulfils his promises, a God who is willing to do anything to save mankind
from destruction even to the extent of becoming a fellow man like us. The joy
that we celebrate at Christmas is the joy that God truly cares.
As you
receive Holy Communion today, receive it with faith and joy knowing that this
is an act of God literally feeding you with his very body and blood on this
mountain. Know that Isaiah’s prophecy is been fulfilled in your life as you
share in the Eucharistic banquet and if this is happening, then nothing will
stop God’s promises as contained in the Scripture from coming to pass in your
life.
Let us
Pray:
Lord
Jesus, thank you for giving yourself to me. May I ever partake of this great
banquet here on earth and in heaven as well. Amen.
Good morning.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you.
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