Hunger Pangs

Paul Skippen

13 Aug 2024

Categories

Free Content

Twentieth Ordinary

John 6: 51

Jesus said, “I’m telling you the most solemn and sober truth now: Whoever believes in me has real life, eternal life. I am the Bread of Life.”

It seems that when you are hungry, your senses conspire against you. That is why some restaurants put elaborate, full-colour pictures of their meals on their menus or place sample plates in their windows. Their visual impact is to first entice you into the restaurant and then have you order even more than you planned.

If you are hungry, you can smell food cooking from great distances. It can leave you salivating and distracted from everything else.

Even some sounds can set off hunger cravings. Listen to the sound of corn popping or bells that might remind you of the ice cream truck of your youth, and you find yourself with cravings you didn’t expect.

Hunger can certainly be pervasive and life-threatening when there is no food available. But for us it usually is an inconvenience and not much more. We are blessed. For some it is a daily struggle to find basic sustenance. For others hunger sneaks up on them because they were too busy to eat a meal. Many people become grazers and snackers with food all around them.

Once again this week we are reminded of the power of the Eucharist, our spiritual food and nourishment. It is a gift that leads us to eternal life. It is our daily and our heavenly bread. And that is both hope and promise for us.