God is love - a Lenten series 25 Love feeds the hungry
Luke 6:21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied...25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
In larger societies, people go hungry because of policy. The world produces enough food to feed every hungry person, but some governments do not care if people starve or actively hope their people starve. In the United States we throw away 40% of our food supply! I grew up never wasting food. It was my grandparent's experience of the Great Depression that influenced my parents' use of food and leftovers and mine as well to this day. My wife and I always encouraged our kids to be part of the "Clean Plate Club." In my life, satiation was not a given in life, so I need to get it whenever I can. As an older guy, my metabolism can no longer keep up with that philosophy, meaning I need to modulate what I consider satiation. Jesus tells me I am missing out on the blessing of hunger.
What is that blessing?
I used to practice fasting twice a week for several years. It was difficult. It exposed to me my strong physical desires. I became an excellent hunter gatherer in the conference/meeting room circuit of my employer. I had quite the reputation at my job. Hunger does not allow you to be a picky eater. Hunger will humble you. When I was hungry I did not reject food that had been touched or even had a bite taken out of it. When I was hungry I took perfectly good food still wrapped out of the trash. Hunger opens your eyes to possibilities. Hunger enhances your sense of smell.
Hunger will also make you dizzy. It will give your body the shakes. It will never stop telling you to find satisfaction.
Jesus identifies with the hungry. He tells his followers in Matthew 25:35, When I was hungry you gave me something to eat. Then he explains he is every hungry person we meet. Worshiping God means serving God. Serving God can literally be done in feeding the hungry. Feeding the hungry is not enabling "welfare queens" to abuse the system. Rather feeding the hungry enables dignity and humanity for those who are blessed to represent God in their hunger.
In larger societies, people go hungry because of policy. The world produces enough food to feed every hungry person, but some governments do not care if people starve or actively hope their people starve. In the United States we throw away 40% of our food supply! I grew up never wasting food. It was my grandparent's experience of the Great Depression that influenced my parents' use of food and leftovers and mine as well to this day. My wife and I always encouraged our kids to be part of the "Clean Plate Club." In my life, satiation was not a given in life, so I need to get it whenever I can. As an older guy, my metabolism can no longer keep up with that philosophy, meaning I need to modulate what I consider satiation. Jesus tells me I am missing out on the blessing of hunger.
What is that blessing?
I used to practice fasting twice a week for several years. It was difficult. It exposed to me my strong physical desires. I became an excellent hunter gatherer in the conference/meeting room circuit of my employer. I had quite the reputation at my job. Hunger does not allow you to be a picky eater. Hunger will humble you. When I was hungry I did not reject food that had been touched or even had a bite taken out of it. When I was hungry I took perfectly good food still wrapped out of the trash. Hunger opens your eyes to possibilities. Hunger enhances your sense of smell.
Hunger will also make you dizzy. It will give your body the shakes. It will never stop telling you to find satisfaction.
Jesus identifies with the hungry. He tells his followers in Matthew 25:35, When I was hungry you gave me something to eat. Then he explains he is every hungry person we meet. Worshiping God means serving God. Serving God can literally be done in feeding the hungry. Feeding the hungry is not enabling "welfare queens" to abuse the system. Rather feeding the hungry enables dignity and humanity for those who are blessed to represent God in their hunger.
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| Holy Apostles soup kitchen NYC |
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