THEME: INVITATION TO THE LORD’S BANQUET

(Isaiah 55:1-3; Romans 8:35, 37-39; Matthew. 14:13-21)

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord invites us to honour His banquet invitation. He says that, we should not be satisfied only with what does not last but rather to seek our satisfaction and sustenance in the Lord. “Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty”, says the Lord, “though you have no money, come. Buy corn without money, and eat, and at no cost, wine and milk. Why spend your money on what is not bread, and your wages on what does not satisfy?”, (Is.55:1-2).

In this invitation the Lord invites us to Himself as the Water of Life that quenches our thirst for satisfaction. I wonder who among us today, that is not really thirsty and yearning for satisfaction. We are all thirsting and yearning for satisfaction and happiness and that is why we engage ourselves in different things in the pursuit of happiness and satisfaction.

However, most a times, many of us engage in inordinate means which do not really bring lasting happiness and satisfaction. Indeed, many people often spend their ‘money’ and ‘energy’ on what is not ‘bread’, meaning, what does not give life and lasting satisfaction. We neglect to spend our ‘energy’ to find our way onto God from whom our hearts find lasting satisfaction and peace.

Reflect today on what and where you mostly spend your ‘time’ and ‘energy’. Is it on the things that bring you lasting satisfaction with God or on what brings you temporal or momentary satisfaction but later lunches you into inner anguish and lack of peace? “All you who are thirsty come to the water; come to me that you may have life” (Is. 55:1).

And in the Gospel reading, we see the compassionate Lord practically satisfying our human hunger. Jesus is in the Eucharist as our bread of life, feeding us with his own body, yes; but he hopes that we in our won turn will go out to feed the hungry. He is there as our water of life satisfying our eternal thirst with his own blood, yes; but he hopes that we in our turn will go out and quench the thirst of others. He is uniting us with God and with one another, feeding us with the same bread as he fed five thousand (5,000), yes; but he hopes that we in turn will go out and show our unity with the rest of the human race by caring for the poor, the needy, the weak and helpless.

Jesus was moved with compassion to the crowds and couldn’t send them away without feeding and satisfying their hunger and thirst. Let us not be indifferent and insensitive to the needs of others around us and along our way. Remember, the disciples offered five loaves and two fish, yes; you yourself you have something to offer, the size doesn’t matter rather the heart. One concerned heart is like one grain of wheat, which is very important. There is hope!

May God quench our thirst and satisfy our hunger!

HAPPY SUNDAY!