A reflection on Isaiah 25:6–10a for Wednesday of the 1st Week of Advent.
When I arrange a meal for a family, I hope it will be something they enjoy. Getting everyone fed matters, of course, but so does having one good thing on a miserable day. I like that Isaiah describes the food at God’s feast. He seems interested in how good it tastes.
At our parish, we have a group of people willing to cook on short notice. A new baby arrives, someone gets sick, and dinner becomes one more thing a family cannot manage. I ask who can help. There are practical questions about allergies and how many people need feeding. Appetite can be a different matter when someone is ill. A meal takes some thought.
Isaiah promises rich food and choice wine for all peoples. I’m glad the pleasure of eating belongs in this promise. Sometimes I picture eternal life so vaguely that I leave out almost everything God made and called good. I like the thought of people enjoying food together.
A dinner delivered at the right time can help a family get through an evening. Someone may still be very ill when the dishes are cleared. I think about those households when Isaiah says God will destroy death. There is so much I cannot do for them. I can arrange for another meal. I can pray for the person who is sick.
For someone who has lived with hunger, a feast would mean being able to eat without saving part of the meal for tomorrow. I think that would take some getting used to. I wonder about the people eating it. Would they reach for more straight away? Could they relax enough to enjoy themselves?
Lord, feed those who are hungry today. Be close to families waiting for news about someone they love. Bless those preparing their dinner tonight, and bring us to the feast you have promised. Amen.