WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 6, 2023
WEDNESDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT B
St Nicholas Bp. (Opt. Mem.)
Isaiah 25:6-10
Matthew 15:29-37
RISING TO NEW SPIRITUAL HEIGHT
The call of this season to rise to a new spiritual height is most desirable since it portends much joy, fulfillment, peace and especially union with God.
The prophet Isaiah talks about the experience of his journey to the mountain of God. This mountain brings the good things of life. It promises healing for the sick, restoration, the destruction of sorrow and all evil veil and coverings over the people, especially the destruction of death.
Rising to the mountain of God is a metaphor that calls us to draw near to our God, to seek his face, to walk and work with our God. It is an experience that brings good for us, that shows the provident nature of our God, the protective care of our God and the love of our God.
It promises us good life indeed, better mind, filled with happiness and joy, symbolized by choice wine and rich food. Staying and living in the presence of God gives all these things and we may continually experience the joy and happiness that God has brought to us. So we must aspire and strive to rise to a new spiritual height during this season of advent.
Going further, the gospel actually gives us the experience of those who rose with Jesus to the mountains to listen and hear his teachings. Jesus’ compassionate love was seen. Their problem became his problem and he brought his healing over them. He made the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear and restored the strength of the weak.
Jesus showed his disciples that to be with him brings a lot of fulfillment. For he did not only catered for their well-being, he also knew their problem and sought solutions to it. He asked the disciples to give them something to eat. Staying with Jesus portends for us problems solved because he knows our needs and he promptly attends to them all.
He then request that food be provided for the people with him on the mountain. And even when the disciples were still perplexed asking where to get the food to serve and satisfy the people, Jesus had solution already to counter their fears. He provided for the people from the little and the amazing thing is that everyone ate to their satisfaction and no one was found hungry, again from that little food in the mountain. This is the joy of being with Jesus and rising with him to the mountains where he stays.
We are all called this season of Advent to prepare ourselves to rise with him to this mountain of sanity, mountain of providence, mountain of righteousness and mountain of his abide. Let us then wash ourselves and remove all that are unbecoming of him and rise with him in newness of mind and heart to share his life and live with him.
God our Father, we are grateful for all the favours and blessings we continue to receive. As we enter this blessed season of Advent, and rising with you to your mountains, may our fears be dispelled, our sicknesses be healed, our lacks be provided, our joys and happiness increase and our life be preserved both now and forever through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
