Mother Teresa once said, “The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” As a missionary to the poor and those afflicted with AIDS in India, she had a close and personal look at poverty, hunger, and inequality. She understood what food insecurity was like. But what was more telling was that she understood how people were rejected and outcast because they were sick, poor, or hungry. Mother Teresa was not only giving food and medical attention to these people, but she was also offering God’s love through her care and attention. She fought for the people of her clinic and elevated them to the level of dignity that any child of God deserves.
Not everyone who is ill or has suffered misfortune has brought it on themselves.
There are many factors that contribute to the social ills we see, and the whole society bears responsibility for correcting them. The Christian scriptures, among other sacred works, exhort us to feed the hungry. For example, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah tells the people to “Feed the hungry and help those in trouble.Then your light will shine out from the darkness…” (Isaiah 58:10 NLT) There is an ancient Hindu teaching about the giving of food (Annadana) that is part of their spiritual tradition. From the simple act of feeding the hungry, the giver ensures his or her safety or salvation because the hungry guest could be God in disguise. To refuse the hungry person could have eternal repercussions and create many misfortunes known as bad karma.
In each account of the Gospels, Jesus feeds the masses. In one account, the Gospel of Mark, chapter 8, it states, “During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” Jesus is obviously concerned about the physical needs of the crowd because they came so far to see him. The account in John gives a hint of what Jesus is planning to do to attend to the hungry crowd. In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, he tells the disciples, “You give them something to eat.”
You are part of the solution.
You can donate to one of many food charities like Connecticut Foodshare, work at a food pantry in your community, or serve meals at a shelter. You can feed the hungry in many ways. If this prospect seems too daunting for you, remember these words from Mother Teresa, who said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” You can feed a friend who needs some help, a hungry child, a neglected department in your workplace, a classroom that accomplished something worthwhile. In doing so, you are not only feeding their bodies, but you are also feeding their souls because they feel like they belong and are appreciated and valued.
Spanish American Chef Jose` Andres began World Central Kitchen in 2010 by sending a team of cooks to Haiti after the earthquake. He and his wife started cooking at campsites for the displaced residents. Instead of serving prepackaged meals, they listened to the Haitian people, learned what was important to them and adopted a Haitian cooking style. The fresh food not only fed the people’s physical hunger, but it also fed their dignity and gave them comfort in feeling understood. Working alongside the people empowered them to help them feed themselves and others. This was the beginning of a partnership in providing food relief during times of disaster.
Hunger exists on many levels. It has been experienced worldwide due to weather events, wars and famines. Poverty and inequality exacerbate hunger and can make a person angry or depressed. Many of us see people in our daily lives who need the obvious – food, clothing, and medical attention. They may be withdrawn, frightened, difficult or combative. Some of you have bravely reached out to them by asking them about themselves, showing an interest in them. Maybe they will talk to you and want to know things about you. They may be hungry for companionship. Tenderly feed their curiosity. You don’t have to tell them everything, just give them a taste of who you are. Find ways to connect them to others who will feed their hunger for acceptance and affection. When you approach the world with love and openness, you will see the fruit of your efforts in each meaningful encounter. Sometimes, you get a “thank you” from the person. Other times, having a quiet or uneventful encounter might be the best result.
We all experience hunger at some time. What matters most is that we are aware of what needs to be addressed. Can a person’s frustration be addressed with a sandwich, a cup of coffee and a donut? Or is there something deeper that needs to be fed? Can we spend a few minutes with someone to stave off their gnawing loneliness? In one sermon known as the Sermon on the Mount, there is a list of blessings that describe the attitudes and aspirations of a follower of Jesus. Many of these qualities affirm those who are humble and stand in solidarity with the disadvantaged for we could be in that position by a reversal of fortune. One blessing in the sermon (Matthew 5:6) says “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” That hunger is a desire for right standing with God and neighbor. There is collaboration, harmony, justice and goodwill in this blessing when we desire a closeness to God and our neighbor. We want all people to have the blessings we have.
It has been said that there is more than enough food and nutritional resources available to feed our planet many times over. The problems stem from the inequitable distribution of these resources. We have seen several stories on local news outlets about the growing food insecurity for poorer residents in this state. Many families are slipping into economic precarity due to the impact of the war in Iran on gas and food prices. The unnecessary and retaliatory tariffs levied on goods that we once freely traded with our national neighbors Canada and Mexico have harmed those relationships and added a layer of costs to those goods. The hunger for power instead of love and sustainable living has overridden the national agenda.
My prayer is that we hunger for right standing with God and our neighbors as we offer help to each other and speak out for those who are in need. May we remember that relieving the hunger for food is only the beginning of feeding a deeper hunger for love, meaning and acceptance.
When we meet those needs, then we can find satisfaction in this nourishment of body and soul.
