Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; Isaiah 25:6-9; Luke 14:12-14
Saturday 25 April - Rev. Jerry Eve
Food and drink feature in all three readings today. In the first, our psalm, we have a reference to the wine offering poured out at the altar (a full litre of it – see Numbers 28:7); in the second, from Isaiah, we have:
“the Lord Almighty will prepare a banquet for all the nations of the world;”
and in the third, our Gospel, we are told what to do when we give a meal.
In order to live we need to eat (and drink, although maybe not wine all the time!). And so in Isaiah 25, linked to the wine offering, we have verse 8 which is quoted in both 1 Corinthians 15 (where Paul says, ‘Death is destroyed’) and Revelation 7:17 and 21:4 (where John of the Apocalypse says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death.”).
As you read through these passages from Scripture today you will take away other lessons – and I’d be really interested to hear, so that this becomes a dialogue; thank you to those of you who have provided some feedback. For me, though, there are two things that I take away, and the first is that, following this period of crisis it is going to be incredibly important for ‘all the nations of the world’ to begin to work together.
The issues raised by this pandemic are ones that can only be solved if everyone is involved. That’s the first point, we do need a ‘banquet’ but it needs to be for ‘all the nations of the world’.
And second, you’ll notice in Luke that it’s just not good enough for a G7 or a G8 – or even a G20 or a G30 (i.e. the wealthier nations) to make all the decisions, but when we have a ‘meal’, or let’s call it a ‘conference’, we do need to invite the poor as well.
Let us pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever,
Amen.