RBWords

 

     Important things happen on mountain tops!  Moses receives the Ten Commandments and the covenant.  Jesus delivers the "sermon on the mount," beginning with the beatitudes.  Jesus is transfigured, crucified and ascends from "mountains."  Since the Gospel of Matthew portrays Jesus as a "new Moses," it is no coincidence that Jesus does important things in high places! 

 

     The passage from Isaiah speaks of a "messianic banquet" event when the Lord of hosts will provide a great feast "on this mountain.'  In the Gospel of Matthew today, Jesus goes up a mountain and feeds the multitudes with the loaves and fishes.  He does this after healing a multitude of suffering people.  Matthew's portrayal, therefore, is meant to show Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.

 

     In Advent we are invited to reflect on promise and fulfillment.  Yes, this did happen "back then" but it is happening now and we are part of it.  By baptism we are invited to bring the kingdom to reality in this world and in our time. We can bring healing and feed the multitudes.  But at the center of this ministry must be the person of Jesus, whose "advent" we proclaim in this season.  Pope Francis, in his very recent "apostolic exhortation" entitled "The Joy of the Gospel," writes:  "A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love will convince nobody."  {#266)  Advent is a season of building joy.  The reason we sing, "O come, o come, Emmanuel!" is because we know we will be able to later sing, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come!"   AMEN