We now look forward to the coming of the Lord that the people of Israel looked forward to. In Isaiah's vision, it would be on a mountain that the Lord would provide for His people all the healing and all the good things of life, a rich banquet. Tears would be wiped away, and death itself destroyed.

So it's not by chance that, in today's gospel, we hear of Jesus leaving the lakeside of Galilee and going up on a mountain and sitting down there. He answered to the needs of the crowd that followed Him. He healed their sick and made whole all the disabled people brought to Him. Jesus had pity too on the crowd's more "ordinary" need, of having something to eat after being with Him for such a long time. Not quite the luscious and rich feast that Isaiah saw in his vision, but enough bread and fish to satisfy their hunger. They were amazed, and glorified God.

Providing a little bread and wine is enough to give us the Body and Blood of Christ Himself, "food for the journey" (viaticum is the old Latin word). And as we share it in this time of Advent, we're remembering He came on earth sharing our humanness; we're enjoying His being present with us this day; and we're already beginning the banquet of ever greater blessings that we'll be celebrating on the 'mountain of the Lord', in God's own house.