Recently, my parents and I were away for the weekend for vacation. When we walked into our house Sunday afternoon, it smelled horrible in our kitchen. There was a strange pool of liquid, and I saw pinkish-red splatter all over the sticky floor. While we stared at the scene, wondering what had happened in two days of absence, Dad pointed to a watermelon on our countertop. The bottom looked as if it had exploded; then it drained onto the floor, and it smelled rancid.
The next few hours consisted of scrubbing, washing, rinsing, desensitizing, and questioning why a watermelon would spontaneously explode in our clean kitchen. After three scrubs, the floor is finally free of the smell and sugar.
Why is this relevant for feeding the hungry? Well, how much good food do you have in your pantry, fridge, or countertops that will expire or you’ll just throw out after losing your appetite for it? It’s not that we wanted to waste a watermelon—we couldn’t know that it was ready to combust the very weekend we left home—but it does make me think about how often we waste food.
“The planet has food for all,” Pope Francis stated in a homily for the general assembly of Caritas Internationalis on May 12, 2015, “but the will to share with everyone seems to be lacking. To prepare the table for all, and to ask that there be one table for all. Doing whatever we can so that everyone has food, but also reminding the world’s powerful that God will call them to be judged one day, and it will be demonstrated whether they have truly tried to provide food for Him in each person (cf. Mt 25:35) and whether they have acted in order that the environment would not be destroyed but would be able to produce this food.”
The call to feed the hungry is a call for mercy—not to give because you feel guilty that you are provided for (be grateful for what you have), not to feel like you’re a better person because once a year you volunteer at the soup kitchen, not a monotonous dropping off of a bag of non-perishables. I’ve had the opportunity to donate food many times in my life through school or church, and I’d like to present ten things I’ve learned that make it a work of mercy.
Feeding the Hungry as an Act of Mercy
1. Be aware of those going hungry at all times.
Do we wait for a food drive before considering the hungry? Honestly, how often do we think of the hungry? When we are hungry, usually we only think of ourselves. When we are not hungry, we probably don’t think of hunger at all.
Take this opportunity in the Year of Mercy to be merciful by growing conscious of the hungry and fostering a habit of helping them, not only when asked but at all times. Next time you are hungry, think of those who won’t be able to eat today.
2. There’s a difference between choosing to fast and being forced to go hungry.
Christians have a tradition of fasting. Often during Lent or in special times of prayer, the faithful voluntarily restrict their eating by fasting or abstaining from a certain food, like meat or candy. This is a spiritual experience a person undergoes to offer it up for an intention or to observe a liturgical season.
I would like to suggest that the next time you decide to fast for a special intention, you think of the hungry. It’s beautiful to use your sacrifice to pray for those who through circumstance can’t eat. Next time you are hungry because you forgot to pack lunch for school or work, instead of gripping about it, consider accepting it and offering up your hunger for those who don’t have the opportunity for lunch.
3. It’s about more than food. Build relationships.
Try to interact with the people who need food. People need food, but they need love more than anything. Giving food is a way to show that love.
Try to find opportunities to serve those who you are feeding. You could work at the food pantry when they are giving out food. Almost every parish has an opportunity like this. You could also try to work at a soup kitchen or another program that allows you to serve and converse with the hungry people who are receiving the needed meal.
This is beneficial for both those receiving and those giving because it builds a community and focuses on the human person and relationship. There are many opportunities to relate to each other, tell stories, give or receive advice, and laugh.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Recently, my parents and I were away for the weekend for vacation. When we walked into our house Sunday afternoon, it smelled horrible in our kitchen. There was a strange pool of liquid, and I saw pinkish-red splatter all over the sticky floor. While we stared at the scene, wondering what had happened in two days of absence, Dad pointed to a watermelon on our countertop. The bottom looked as if it had exploded; then it drained onto the floor, and it smelled rancid.
The next few hours consisted of scrubbing, washing, rinsing, desensitizing, and questioning why a watermelon would spontaneously explode in our clean kitchen. After three scrubs, the floor is finally free of the smell and sugar.
Why is this relevant for feeding the hungry? Well, how much good food do you have in your pantry, fridge, or countertops that will expire or you’ll just throw out after losing your appetite for it? It’s not that we wanted to waste a watermelon—we couldn’t know that it was ready to combust the very weekend we left home—but it does make me think about how often we waste food.
“The planet has food for all,” Pope Francis stated in a homily for the general assembly of Caritas Internationalis on May 12, 2015, “but the will to share with everyone seems to be lacking. To prepare the table for all, and to ask that there be one table for all. Doing whatever we can so that everyone has food, but also reminding the world’s powerful that God will call them to be judged one day, and it will be demonstrated whether they have truly tried to provide food for Him in each person (cf. Mt 25:35) and whether they have acted in order that the environment would not be destroyed but would be able to produce this food.”
The call to feed the hungry is a call for mercy—not to give because you feel guilty that you are provided for (be grateful for what you have), not to feel like you’re a better person because once a year you volunteer at the soup kitchen, not a monotonous dropping off of a bag of non-perishables. I’ve had the opportunity to donate food many times in my life through school or church, and I’d like to present ten things I’ve learned that make it a work of mercy.
Feeding the Hungry as an Act of Mercy
1. Be aware of those going hungry at all times.
Do we wait for a food drive before considering the hungry? Honestly, how often do we think of the hungry? When we are hungry, usually we only think of ourselves. When we are not hungry, we probably don’t think of hunger at all.
Take this opportunity in the Year of Mercy to be merciful by growing conscious of the hungry and fostering a habit of helping them, not only when asked but at all times. Next time you are hungry, think of those who won’t be able to eat today.
2. There’s a difference between choosing to fast and being forced to go hungry.
Christians have a tradition of fasting. Often during Lent or in special times of prayer, the faithful voluntarily restrict their eating by fasting or abstaining from a certain food, like meat or candy. This is a spiritual experience a person undergoes to offer it up for an intention or to observe a liturgical season.
I would like to suggest that the next time you decide to fast for a special intention, you think of the hungry. It’s beautiful to use your sacrifice to pray for those who through circumstance can’t eat. Next time you are hungry because you forgot to pack lunch for school or work, instead of gripping about it, consider accepting it and offering up your hunger for those who don’t have the opportunity for lunch.
3. It’s about more than food. Build relationships.
Try to interact with the people who need food. People need food, but they need love more than anything. Giving food is a way to show that love.
Try to find opportunities to serve those who you are feeding. You could work at the food pantry when they are giving out food. Almost every parish has an opportunity like this. You could also try to work at a soup kitchen or another program that allows you to serve and converse with the hungry people who are receiving the needed meal.
This is beneficial for both those receiving and those giving because it builds a community and focuses on the human person and relationship. There are many opportunities to relate to each other, tell stories, give or receive advice, and laugh.
Explanation: