The daily Word of God
Wednesday, December 4th, 2024
Wednesday in the 1st Week of Advent. Saint John Damascene, priest and doctor of the Church
Mt 15:29-37 “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd."
First Reading: Is 25:6-10a
On this mountain the Lord of hosts
will provide for all peoples
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.
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.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R./ 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
Gospel Reading: 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 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.
witness and participate
In this passage, we witness a powerful demonstration of Jesus’s compassion and provision. He goes up a mountainside, and large crowds bring the sick, the lame, the blind, and many others to him. Jesus responds not only with healing but also with a deep sense of empathy, recognizing the physical and spiritual needs of the people.
The multitude stays with Jesus for three days, highlighting their hunger for both physical and spiritual nourishment. In the wilderness, Jesus miraculously feeds them with seven loaves and a few small fish, emphasizing the abundance that flows from His hands.
The act of taking the seven loaves and fish, giving thanks, breaking them, and distributing to the crowds mirrors the pattern of the Last Supper. This prefigures the sacrificial nature of Jesus’s life and foreshadows the Eucharistic celebration, where Christ offers Himself for the sustenance of His people.
The leftovers, collected in seven baskets, signify not only the abundance of God’s provision but also the completeness and perfection in Christ. Seven, a biblical symbol of perfection, emphasizes the divine fullness in Jesus’s ministry.
This miracle speaks to the inclusivity of God’s grace. The crowd is diverse, representing different needs, backgrounds, and conditions. In Christ, there is provision for all, and no one is excluded from His compassionate care.
As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded of Christ’s ability to meet our needs, both physical and spiritual. His compassion knows no bounds, and in Him, we find abundance. The call for us is to bring our needs to Him, trusting in His provision, and to be instruments of His love and generosity in the world. May we, like the disciples, witness and participate in the miraculous outpouring of God’s grace in the lives of those around us.
Introduction
For Isaiah, the sign of the messianic times is that through the Messiah God will give to his people an abundance of food and drink. People long for life, and for peace. Prisoners want to be free, the blind wants to see, the hungry wants bread. But likewise, people hunger for consolation, friendship, forgiveness, understanding, acceptance, and justice. These desires are fulfilled when Jesus, the Messiah comes. He gives food to his hungry people. And we, his disciples, have to satisfy the hunger of God's people today. For he acts through us.
Opening Prayer
God of all people,
you know how people hunger and thirst
for truth, love, and acceptance.
If we accept you and believe in you,
we see our deepest desires and aspirations
being fulfilled by you
as we work for the coming of your kingdom.
Help us to let the cup that you pour for us
overflow on all your people,
that all may praise you,
now and for ever.
General Intercessions
- That people everywhere may have open eyes to see and alleviate the miseries and hungers of others, we pray:
- That we may give not only bread or rice to the hungry, but love and justice, we pray:
- That the Lord may help us look for the food that makes us richer persons, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God of all people,
Jesus is among us
and he sets for us the bread and the wine
of his total self-giving.
May this holy meal fill us with his Spirit
and make us people
who live not for themselves
but like Jesus, for others,
even when the cost is high.
May this be our offering to you
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God, our Father,
the Lord for whom we were waiting
has been with us, Jesus, your Son.
He has filled us with rich food
and the joyful wine of himself.
May he put us back on our feet,
that strengthened by this food
we may go out to the poor,
the lame, and the weak
to give them the food of our understanding,
our compassion and our love,
by the power of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
The sign that Jesus, the Messiah, is present among his people is that the hungry are fed. Among us today, do we feed them? Do we care for people and give them what they need? May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
