As we continue to look at the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy I would like to reflect on a second Corporal Work that of Feeding the Hungry. Much like my earlier reflection of “clothing the naked,” feeding the hungry is a fairly straightforward work of mercy. It is the act of caring for those who lack sufficient food and either through direct action, the giving of food to the person, through time and service, ministering at a food bank or kitchen or indirect care, donating food or money to a ministry, St. Vincent de Paul for instance or non-profit, Loves and Fishes in doing this we are acting in mercy towards the other.
But as Christians we are called to the deeper conversion where we are able to respond to the call of Jesus to be present and to witness his presence in the other. We best do this when we are able to sit at table and share in the bounty of God’s blessings in a meal. At the moment when we break bread our human dignity and our blessing in the eyes of God come forth as His grace shines and exposes the gift of life, shared and blessed.
Two examples of this wonderful grace of feeding the hungry give meaning to our shared life in Christ. When I was pastor of St. Catherine Parish in Morgan Hill several (3) Christian communities began serving dinner three nights a week for the poor and homeless of the community. They invited parish establish a forth night of meals and join with them in the work of mercy. We began slowly and soon discovered the blessing of the meal. We had many volunteers, young and old, who came to serve. Often there were so many helpers there were not enough jobs for each person. Joe, who had helped to start this ministry, began to sit with those who came to be fed and soon other members of the parish also came just to sit, talk and share with their brothers and sisters who came to eat this simple meal.
The second example was on my mission trip to Mexico with Sr. Gisela MESST and several young women discerning vocations to the consecrated religious life. We, the missionaries, became the fed. When we stopped at the houses to pray and celebrate our faith, they fed us. They choose to sit and eat with the stranger who came to their door. Admittedly, we were not starving but they choose to open their homes and share with us the blessings of God, to feed us not just with the food and drink offered but with their presence and joy where we recognized in each other the fullness and presence of God.
In praying with the other, our conversations of grace, in sharing the bread of life we are exposed to the true abundance of God that comes for the gift of being blessed in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Our challenge is always to stop, recognize Jesus and the share in the Eucharist of life.
God bless
Fr. Mark