On the eve of the beginning of Holy Week, the Church offers us a rich gospel reading that closes with the question, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?”
People must have sought to see Jesus for many reasons: some looking to meet him for the first time after having heard of him, some looking to learn from him, some just curious to see what he might do, others looking to destroy him.
It is for all of them that Jesus comes. And not only does he come to the feast, but he also offers himself as food. As St. Catherine of Siena said, “You, eternal Trinity, are Table and Food and Waiter for us. You, eternal Father, are the Table that offers us food, the Lamb, your only begotten Son… And the Holy Spirit is a Waiter for us, for he serves us this teaching by enlightening our mind’s eye with it and inspiring us to follow it.”
As we prepare to enter Holy Week, may we learn to live and appreciate God’s overflowing act of love that reaches us to this day.