December 4, 2013

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent 
Lectionary: 177

Reading 1 IS 25:6-10A

On this mountain the LORD of hosts

will provide for all peoples

On this mountain – refers to Mount Zion which is another name for the household of God or the Church. It is also a reference to heaven.

A feast of rich food and choice wines,

juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.

On this mountain he will destroy

the veil that veils all peoples,

The web that is woven over all nations;

he will destroy death forever.

The Lord GOD will wipe away

the tears from all faces;

The reproach of his people he will remove

from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.

God will call all people, from every race, into his mountain. This mountain is the Catholic Church. The veil the blinds all people is the flesh. Those who are joined to the church are born again in the spirit and washed them all their sins which are contained in the flesh.

Those who are washed in the sacrament of baptism will receive eternal life. And if they continue in good works to the end God will wipe away their tears in heaven.

On that day it will be said:

“Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!

This is the LORD for whom we looked;

let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”

For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

On that day we will see God face to face. And we will rejoice to see him and know then we have been saved from death.

Responsorial Psalm PS 23:1-3A, 3B-4, 5, 6

R. (6cd) I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;

Beside restful waters he leads me;

he refreshes my soul.

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

He guides me in right paths

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk in the dark valley

I fear no evil; for you are at my side

With your rod and your staff

that give me courage. 

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

You spread the table before me

in the sight of my foes;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Only goodness and kindness follow me

all the days of my life;

And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for years to come.

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

The household of the Lord is the Catholic Church.  The table which He spreads before us is the altar of the Lord. Those who dwell in the household of the Lord are walking with the Saints and the Angels in the heavenly realm.

Gospel MT 15:29-37

At that time:

Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,

went up on the mountain, and sat down there. 

Great crowds came to him,

having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,

and many others. 

They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. 

The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,

the deformed made whole, 

the lame walking, 

and the blind able to see,

and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament. As Isaiah prophesied, the Messiah would come to heal the sick. But these were only signs of the true healing of the spirit.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said,

“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,

for they have been with me now for three days

and have nothing to eat. 

I do not want to send them away hungry,

for fear they may collapse on the way.” 

The disciples said to him,

“Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place

to satisfy such a crowd?” 

Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” 

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” 

He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 

Then he took the seven loaves and the fish,

gave thanks, broke the loaves,

and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 

They all ate and were satisfied. 

They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

As another sign pointing to the fact that Jesus is the prophet which Moses spoke of, he fed the multitudes in the desert, bringing to mind the manna with which Moses fed the people of Israel in the Sinai desert.

Deuteronomy 18:15-19

King James Version (KJV)

15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.