Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

“The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes”
by Lambert Lombard, c. 1550

Readings for Wednesday of the First Week of Advent [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 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.
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Commentary on Is 25:6-10a
 
Isaiah once more envisions the messianic kingdom where there is no enmity between peoples, there is no want, and the whole world rejoices in great peace. This reading is favored at funeral liturgies because of its image of the heavenly kingdom. There is a clear sense of anticipation, appropriate for the Advent season as the Second Coming is looked for as well as the Lord’s nativity.

The prophet has, in the previous chapter, started a discourse about the Apocalypse, predicting the destruction of Israel. In this hymn, he envisions the salvation God will provide for the faithful. The imagery of the Lord’s banquet used in this psalm, coupled with clear references to the messianic promises (“he will destroy death forever") and the idea that God will come in the end with salvation, will be remembered later at the Last Supper (see Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, and Luke 22:18). The eternal nature of the invitation to participate in this banquet is clear as is the universal nature of the call (“the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples”).
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 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.
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Commentary on Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
 
Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar songs in the entire psalter. “God's loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Psalm 23:1-4) and a host's generosity toward a guest (Psalm 23:5-6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Isaiah 40:11; 49:10; Jeremiah 31:10).”[4]  While the theme of shepherd is mentioned in the first strophe, the psalm really speaks to the peace given to those who follow the Lord and place their trust in Him, even into the “dark valley.”
 
The reference in the third strophe above: “'You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes' occurs in an exodus context in Psalm 78:19. As my enemies watch: my enemies see that I am God's friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made from olive oil, used especially at banquets (Psalm 104:15; Matthew 26:7; Luke 7:37, 46; John 12:2).”[5]
 
CCC: Ps 23:5 1293
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Gospel: Matthew 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.
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Commentary on Mt 15:29-37
 
Jesus is continuing his healing ministry. These actions were spoken of earlier as the Lord pointed them out to the disciples of John the Baptist in Matthew 11:4-5.  Jesus quoted an earlier pronouncement as a reference to Isaiah's prophecy indicating actions to be expected of the Messiah (Isaiah 35:5ff). The Messiah comes as an agent of forgiveness and healing - explicit evidence of God's love.
 
Next follows Matthew's account of the multiplication of the loaves which is a doublet of the story found in Matthew 14:13-21. In this story, however, Jesus takes the initiative instead of the disciples and the crowd has been with him for three days. We see a good deal of Hebrew numerology in this story in the "three days" the crowd has been with him. In addition to the three days Jesus lay in the tomb, we find ancient Hebrew words used three times to signify the most profound usage (i.e. great, great, great is equivalent to great, greater, greatest). The use of seven loaves and baskets of fragments, with seven being the most perfect number, indicates the fullness of the event.
 
We also see the significant eucharistic implications of this event as Jesus provides a miracle to satisfy the crowd in the breaking of the bread. Placed as it is, immediately following the description of how he was healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and making the lame walk, we are given a vision of the fulfillment of the Messiah’s mission as predicted by Hebrew prophets.
 
CCC: Mt 15:32-39 1335; Mt 15:36 1329
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Reflection:
 
Looking forward and looking back, that is where Scripture takes us constantly this Advent season. We recall today the wondrous gift we were given in Christ our Savior. We see him at his peak. As true man, he heals the sick and then feeds the multitudes in this image of eucharistic peace. We recall, looking back, how much he loves us. Indeed, when he fed the multitudes those two thousand years ago, he was feeding us as well. When he cured the sick, gave sight to the blind, and made the crippled whole, he was doing that for us too.
 
We look back and give thanks. Then we read Isaiah’s vision of the peace in the Kingdom of God and we look forward: forward to a day when the Lord comes again in glory and we will experience heavenly bliss. The miracle of God’s vision, a vision that stretches back through time and looks forward to eternity, fills us with anticipation as the Advent of our Lord is once more recalled in our celebration.
 
And what, we ask, must we do to experience that indescribable peace we are promised? The Lord gave us the example. In the very early Church it was called “the Way.” It begins with the Great Commandment that we see so clearly lived by our Lord in today’s Gospel. He loves God so intensely that the acts of healing cause those present to glorify God (not Jesus). His acts of mercy, for the people he both cured and fed, speak the words, “love one another.”
 
From those actions, the peace of Christ flows. “The Way” is our answer. We follow the Lord’s example, caring for those less fortunate, feeding the hungry, seeking no praise for ourselves but humbly walking with God who blesses us. Today the great message of hope conveyed in Scripture is taken to heart. Our burdens are lighter. There is a spring in our step. The Savior of the world has been revealed and his great promise is our continuing hope.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes” by Lambert Lombard, c. 1550.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB footnote on Psalm 23.
[5] Ibid.