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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider On the mountain

On the mountain

Published Dec 3, 2024 04:35 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

Jesus goes up on the mountain and begins to teach the people about the Kingdom of God. Alluding to the scenario from the prophetic tradition, Jesus gathers the scattered children of Israel on the mountain, representing Zion, God’s holy mountain, where God will feed his flock like a shepherd (Is 40:11). 

Ezekiel has likewise prophesied that upon the mountains of Israel God will gather peoples from the land they were scattered and will pasture them. He will search out the lost and bind up their wounds (34:13-16). Jesus now teaches the multitude, attends to the sick, and feeds the hungry crowd from seven loaves of bread and two fish. 

His action of taking the loaves (and the fish), giving thanks, breaking the loaves, and giving them to the disciples, who in turn give them to the people (v 36), will be the same actions He will do at the Last Supper when He institutes the sacrament of the Eucharist, the memorial of His saving passion, death, and resurrection. The Eucharist which recalls the banquet on the mountain of Galilee now foretells the heavenly banquet which God prepares for His holy ones.

The Eucharist is both a sacrifice and a meal. Jesus offers his Body to be our spiritual food. Do you regularly nourish yourself with this food for your spiritual journey?

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.

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.

Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph. 

 

 

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