ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 TOKONAKI NOVEMA 4, 2023

Death-Eater

Ko e Fakaka’anga ‘o mate

ISAIAH 25:6-8

ON THIS MOUNTAIN THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL MAKE FOR ALL PEOPLES A FEAST OF RICH FOOD, A FEAST OF WELL-AGED WINE, OF RICH FOOD FULL OF MARROW. OF AGED WINE WELL REFINED. AND HE WILL SWALLOW UP ON THIS MOUNTAIN THE COVERING THAT IS CAST OVER ALL PEOPLES, THE VEIL THAT IS SPREAD OVER ALL NATIONS. HE WILL SWALLOW UP DEATH FOREVER.

ISAIAH 25:6-8

6 Pea ‘i he mo‘unga ko eni ‘e fai ‘e Sihova Sāpaoti ki he ngaahi kakai kotoa pē ha kātoanga me‘a lolo, ha kātoanga uaine kuo fisi, ‘ani me‘a lolo kuo lolo‘i ‘aki ‘a e ngako ‘o e hui, ‘ani uaine kuo fisi, ‘o sivi ke masivi. 7 Pea ‘i he mo‘unga ko eni te ne folofua ‘a e mata ki ‘olunga ‘o e pūlou ‘oku pulonga ‘aki ‘a e ngaahi kakai, mo e ‘ufi‘ufi kuo fofola ‘i he ngaahi pule‘anga. Te ne folofua ‘a mate ‘o ta‘engata; 8 pea ko ‘Ātonai Sihova te ne holoholo ‘a e lo‘imata mei he mata fua pē; pea te ne ‘ave ‘a e manukia‘anga ‘o hono kakai mei he funga ‘o māmani kātoa: he kuo folofola ki ai ‘a Sihova.

The loom on which the veil of mavet ("death") is woven sits deep in the caverns of human existence. Weaving, weaving, evermore weaving. Mavet is "the covering that is cast over all peoples." Faces wintered by wrinkles and faces in the spring of life are shrouded by its fabric of mortality and woe. Mavet moves mercilessly, sparing none, taking all. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Yet the prophet's eye, peering down the corridors of time, spies the Lord of resurrection, standing on a festive mountain, holding something in his hand. What is it? It's a hammer, raised high, coming down, down, down on that veil-making loom. Again and again,  until it is but a mass of splinters.

Then in his hand he takes the veil, opens his mouth, and swallows it. The "veil that is spread over all the nations" goes down the gullet of God, gone for good. He is the Death-Eater. And we feast! We, alive in the living Christ, swallow the wine of heaven at the feast without end.

Resurrected Savior, eater of death, fill our cups with the wine of life.