DAILY- HOMILY

December 4, 2013

Wednesday 1st Week of Advent - Year I

Memorial, Saint John Damascene, priest and doctor

Is 25:6-10 / Ps 23: 1-3a. 3b-4. 5. 6 / Mt 15:29-37

Isaiah 25:6-10

On this mountain Yahweh Sabaoth will prepare for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, meat full of marrow, fine wine strained. On this mountain he will destroy the pall cast over all peoples, this very shroud spread over all nations, and death will be no more. The Lord Yahweh will wipe away the tears from all cheeks and eyes; he will take away the humiliation of his people all over the world: for Yahweh has spoken. On that day you will say: This is our God. We have waited for him to save us, let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For on this mountain the hand of Yahweh rests. Moab instead will be trodden down, as straw trodden down on a dunghill.

Matthew 15:29-37

From there Jesus went to the shore of Lake Galilee, and then went up into the hills, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the dumb, the blind, the lame, the crippled, and many with other infirmities. The people carried them to the feet of Jesus, and he healed them. All were astonished when they saw the dumb speaking, the lame walking, the crippled healed, and the blind able to see; and they glorified the God of Israel. Jesus called his disciples and said to them, "I am filled with compassion for these people; they have already followed me for three days and now have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away fasting, or they may faint on the way." His disciples said to him, "And where shall we find enough bread in this wilderness to feed such a crowd?" Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They answered, "Seven, and a few small fish." So Jesus ordered the people to sit on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the small fish and gave thanks to God. He broke them and gave them to his disciples, who distributed them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the leftover broken pieces filled seven wicker baskets.

Reflection

In the first reading, Isaiah prophesies about the coming of God's kingdom, which he compares to a banquet. He uses this image to express the abundance of the feast and the joy of God's kingdom. This reading is juxtaposed with the gospel which announces that the kingdom of God has arrived with the coming of Christ who cures the sick and feeds the hungry thousands in Israel. Jesus performs these miracles to show to the Jewish people that he is the Messiah whom they have been waiting for. In another passage Isaiah also proclaims the coming of a prophet who will make the blind see, the lame walk and the deaf hear. The Jews were also waiting for the prophet par excellence who will repeat the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves that the prophet Elisha did. Thus, Jesus fulfills both prophecies and also another of Isaiah's which speaks of a salvation that will take place "on this holy mountain." To what mountain was Isaiah referring? He was alluding to Mount Zion, which today is the Church. Christ continues to fulfill this prophecy today for he continues to come to us through the Church. When Jesus performed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, he was prefiguring the Eucharist, in which he himself becomes the True Bread that gives life to those who partake of it. He is also the Bread from Heaven which has become flesh for us through his word. Christ comes to all who today recognizes that he or she is the one who is sick because of sin and who is hungry for this Bread from Heaven.

Prayer Requests

We pray …

… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.

… for the speedy recovery and healing of

- Nick Lucena

- Lorenzo Meoli

- Ditas dela Paz, Toots Monfort, Virginia Hernandez, and Fleur Torres

… for the personal intentions of Beny Chua

… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.

Birthday: V. Sergio Dator

Prayer Intention: Johnson Ho Gotamco

… for families who are in need of healing

… for world peace and reconciliation.

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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