MESSIANIC BANQUET

 THE PROPHETS PROCLAIMED THAT WHEN MESSIAH CAME, HE WOULD CREATE HAPPINESS AMONG THE POOR AND THE AFFLICTED, FOR HE WOULD GATHER THEM INTO HIS BANQUETING COMMUNITY, ISAIAH. IN SO DOING, THE MESSIAH WOULD RESTORE FELLOWSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND HUMANITY. DURING JESUS MINISTRY, HIS OPPONENTS CALL HIM A GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD FOR HE DINES WITH SINNERS. AT THE TIME OF THE FINAL CONSUMMATION OF THE KINGDOM THE DISCIPLES WILL EAT AND DRINK WITH JESUS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, PEOPLE WILL BE GATHERED FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE EARTH TO SIT AT TABLE WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS. ON THESE OCCASIONS THE LEADERS AMONG THE JEWS INVITE JESUS TO EAT WITH THEM.  THERE IS STRIFE BETWEEN JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES. ON THE ONE HAND. JESUS KNOWS AND TEACHES THE WISDOM OF GOD. PHARISEES REJECT IN REJECTING JESUS. THOUGH LEADERS INVITE JESUS TO SHARE TABLE WITH THEM, THEY CRITICIZE HIM FOR EATING WITH OTHERS. THEY  FAIL TO SEE THE REAL BANQUET THAT IS IN PROGRESS WITH THE PRESENCE OF JESUS. JESUS INSTRUCTS THOSE PRESENT AT A MEAL HOW THEY ARE TO RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER. AT THE LAST SUPPER THE DISCIPLES ARGUE ABOUT WHO WILL BE THE GREATEST IN JESUS KINGDOM. JESUS  DOES NOT ALLOW JUDAS TO KISS HIM. JESUS HEALS THE SERVANT WHOSE EAR PETER HAD CUT OFF. HE IS LED AWAY TO THE HIGH PRIEST HOME. THE SANHEDRIN MEETS WHEN DAY COMES AND CHARGES JESUS WITH CLAIMING TO BE THE MESSIAH. JESUS SPEAKS THREE FROM THE CROSS: "FATHER FORGIVE THEM; FOR THEY KNOW WHAT THEY DO; " TRULY I SAY TO YOU, TODAY  YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE," FATHER INTO THY HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT. THE WOMEN WHO GO TO THE TOMB ARE MET BY TWO MEN IN DAZZLING APPAREL WHO INFORM THEM WHAT HAS HAPPENED. AFTER THE WOMEN HEAR THE MESSAGE AT THE TOMB, THEY RETURN TO THE CITY AND SHARE THE NEWS WITH THE "APOSTLES" (NOTE THE TERM!) WHO DO NOT TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY AND DISMISS THEIR REPORT AS AN IDLE TALE. JESUS JOINS TWO MEN ON THE WAY TO EMMAUS AND EXPLAINS EVENTS IN JERUSALEM DURING THE LAST FEW DAYS IN THE LIGHT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES. HOWEVER, HIS TRAVELING COMPANIONS  STILL DO NOT RECOGNIZE HIM UNTIL THEY SHARE A MEAL TOGETHER, REFLECTS (.EUCHARISTIC TERMINOLOGY) AT THAT VERY MOMENT JESUS VANISHES OUT OF THEIR SIGHT. THEY RUSH BACK TO JERUSALEM AND SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE ELEVEN AND THOSE WITH THEM. JESUS AGAIN MANIFESTS HIS PRESENCE. THOSE WHO SEE HIM ARE SO OVERWHELMED THAT "THEY DISBELIEVE FOR JOY," AGAIN JESUS EATS WITH THEM. (LUKE DOES NOT MENTION A POST RESURRECTION APPEARANCE IN GALILEE. JESUS IN CLOSING EXPLAINS FURTHER TO THE GROUP OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LIGHT OF THE SCRIPTURES (MOSES, PROPHETS, PSALMS")  AND COMMISSIONS THEM TO PREACH FORGIVENESS IN HIS NAME TO ALL NATIONS, AND INSTRUCTS THEM TO WAIT IN JERUSALEM UNTIL THEY ARE CLOTHED "WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH," AND THEN DEPARTS FROM THEM. THE DISCIPLES RETURN TO JERUSALEM. WE CELEBRATE A NEW BEGINNING, EVEN AS JOSEPH AND MARY'S JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM BROUGHT A NEW BEGINNING INTO THIS WORLD FOR ALL OF US! WHAT MORE COULD WE ASK.