Food for thought.

Spiritual Food That Sustains the Soul

Over the last four weeks, the Gospel Reading for the Sundays in August were about Jesus who proclaimed that He is the Bread of Life. In the Sermons, my focus was on the things we do to try and satisfy the hunger within. We try to satisfy our physical hunger and thirst by a great many things, and in the culture around us many people are addicted to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, donuts and candy bars, and even the caffeine in Tim’s coffee and the sugar in Coca-cola.

.
It is interesting how the culture exploits our hunger and thirst through great advertizing projects like the super-sized meal and drink - in fact making us eat and drink far more in the way of calories than we would ever need. The dark side of all of this is that the ‘experts, politicians and others" are now ringing the alarm bell as children who live on these fast food calories will also face many diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even osteoporosis as a direct result of their diet. We really are what we eat and drink.
.
One of the reasons given for children digesting so many empty calories via pop and junk food is that they turn to such foods and drinks to alleviate the stresses they face in their young lives - things like divorce, blended families, terrorism, AIDS, fear of pregnancy and fear of the future. Adults turn to alcohol, drugs, etc, and so young children turn to pop and chips.
.
One of the many things that surfaced during sermon preparation was how the ‘experts" we now saying that the answer to this problem of obesity among children is to encourage families to cook and eat meals at home, so that parents can not only monitor what is going into their children’s mouths, but also be aware of what may be coming out of their mouths. This family "table time" is an opportunity for children to talk openly and share their hopes and fears.

.
The Church has built its spiritual life around a table. It is the Lord’s Table where we gather to remember the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples. In our fast paced society today, we often eat on the run, there is never enough time for the important things like family meals around the family table and conversation and sharing family stories is a thing of the past and most people just don’t have time for Church, too busy with so many other things to do.
.
It is interesting that the political leaders have included tackling the problem of obesity among children as part of their Party’s election platforms. What is missing in all this is how the pop manufactures and the fast food giants have blatantly exploited the spiritual hunger of today’s generation, but then people will try to fill the hunger within - yet neglect to feed their souls. Food for thought?
.
M. LUKE 5:27-32 ---JESUS EATS AND DRINKS WITH SINNERS
T. LUKE 7:36-50 ----JESUS EATS WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS
W. LUKE 10:38-42 --JESUS EATS AT THE HOME OF FRIENDS
T. LUKE 14:1-24 -----JESUS EATS WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS
F. LUKE 19:1-10 ------JESUS EATS WITH MORE TAX-COLLECTOR.
S. LUKE 22:1-24 -----JESUS EATS A LAST SUPPER WITH DISCIPLES.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

.

SPIRITUAL FOOD TO SUSTAIN THE SOUL

.

.

Well, well, well! It appears that maybe God knows what he is doing after all! Reflecting on what many experts in the field believe is an epidemic - that is the problem of ‘obesity among children" It appears that one of the strategies employed in the battle against this ever growing problem is to teach parents preparing and eating home cooked meals at home so that they can monitor not only what goes into their kids mouths, but also what comes out of it as well!
.
Now, one need not be a priest or preacher to read any of the Gospels, but even just a cursory reading of Luke’s Gospel it becomes apparent that ‘eating home cooked meals" was an important part of the ministry of this man called Jesus.
.
We are first introduced to Jesus table ministry when he is at the home of Simon Peter, whose mother-in-law is sick with a high fever. Jesus heals her and she rises from her sick bed and "waits on them" meaning she serves the already prepared Sabbath meal. Next, we find Jesus in the home of a prominent religious leader. He has been invited to dinner. Here he is judged by the religious leader as a ‘sinful woman’ possibly a prostitute washes Jesus feet.
.
Then in what is a very dramatic miracle, Jesus brings back to life a 12 year old girl who has died. As Jesus gives her back to her parents, Jesus tells them to give their daughter something to eat.
.
We often find Jesus bin people’s homes. Jesus often found solitude away from the crowds that continually followed him everywhere in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Do you invite Jesus to share your meal when you sit down to eat? Very seldom do people publically take the time to say grace at a meal in a restaurant. Then Luke records the parable that Jesus told of the ‘rich fool" who laid up for himself all kinds of good things but never gave any thought to God or eternal things. Jesus called him a fool for neglecting such matters.
.
On another occasion Jesus was invited to the home of another prominent religious leader. This time it was a set up to see if they might entrap him. They bit off more than they could chew. What He said to them was hard to swallow. It was here at this dinner Jesus taught the Parable of the Great Banquet.
.
Then there is the great story of the redemption of Zacchaeus, who had all kinds of wealth and power, but deep inside he was spiritually hungry. Jesus went to Zacchaeus’ house for dinner. Such acts caused the religious leaders to be very critical as they complained that Jesus often ate with sinners, tax-collectors, prostitutes, and all kinds of other undesirable persons. Of course, through the Sacrament of Holy Communion we too are invited to eat Bread of Life.
.
M. LUKE 4:31-39 ......JESUS EATS A SIMON PETER’S HOME
T. LUKE 5:33-39 ......JESUS QUESTIONED ABOUT FASTING
W. LUKE 7:36-50 .....A RELIGIOUS LEADER & A PROSTITUTE
T. LUKE 8:40-56 ......A DEAD GIRL WAKES UP HUNGRY
F. LUKE 10:38-42 .....AT THE HOME OF MARY AND MARTHA
S. LUKE 14:1-24 .........AT THE HOME OF A PROMINENT PHARISEE