Hungry People: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Second Draft
[This revison differs little from the first. If you compare, you’ll find some minor refinements and deletions for the purpose of a sharper focus. If you wish to hear it delivered on streaming audio, it will be posted on the St. Aloysious Gonzaga web site under “Parish” then “Homilies.” --JMS]
A construction worker grabs his lunch bucket,
finds a spot of shade and pulls out a sandwich.
He takes off his hard hat, complains about the heat
and doesn’t think much about what he’s eating.
Another day, another dollar, another peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Same thing happens with a student in a school cafeteria.
Coins slide down the slot in the vending machine,
a door slides open,
a cold sandwich slides out.
Along with a can of Coke,
the student fails to notice the mediocre taste
of something with a texture similar to ham salad
as she text messages friends on her cell phone.
Another day at school.
Another go-through-the-motions meal.
***
When it comes eating,
this sort of preoccupation
and lack of attention is common.
But this “lack of attention” isn’t everyone’s experience.
When you’re hungry, for instance,
meals become very important
and you pay attention to what’s on your plate
as well as what’s on the plates of the people around you.
For instance,
think of a family on a tight budget
where the mother skips a meal
so there’s enough food for her children to eat.
She stays busy at the kitchen counter
so her kids don’t notice that she’s holding back.
Think of the young boy who falls asleep
at the back of class.
The teacher wakes him up she asks,
“Did you eat breakfast this morning?”
He rubs his eyes and says,
“Today wasn’t my turn.”
Meaning,
“Today wasn’t my turn to eat.”
Might sound strange,
but it’s true.
That’s an actual statement
made by an American child
in an American city.
Incredible, isn’t it?
It’s hard to believe that hunger exists
in a country where people spend an average of
$33 billion dollars a year on diet and weight loss products.
The same country that spends $500 billion a year on its military
and only $10 billion a year to fight other dangerous enemies of peace,
insidious enemies of world peace known as Hunger, Starvation and Poverty.
Each year, 6 million children die from hunger and malnutrition.
Six million.
Children.
It’s hard to think about.
It’s a truth we’d rather not face.
Fortunately, there is also good news to tell.
In recent years,
the problem of hunger around the world
is being addressed more effectively.
For instance, in the last 30 years, there has been a 20% reduction
in world hunger…
and that’s something to celebrate.
Food is important.
Still, most days, like that construction worker on the job site
or that student in the cafeteria,
we take God’s blessing of food for granted.
But today’s gospel reminds us how important food really is.
It reminds us how important it is the Christ.
The gospel story tells us that the Lord is concerned
--mightily concerned—
with making sure
people have the basics they need:
that includes food,
shelter and medicine.
It also include those basic elements of the Christian faith
known as the sacraments.
Sacraments like the Holy Bread we’ve come to church to receive today.
The Bread of Life,
the very Body of Christ given to us today
in what appears…and only appears…to be bread.
This sacrament is not only for the soul
it is food for the heart, a gift of compassion.
A sacramental gift
connecting us to Christ and to everyone in the Church.
And, in some mysterious way,
to all the people of the world,
all the hungry people of the world.
______________________
(First draft)
A construction worker grabs the lunch bucket,
finds a spot of shade and pulls out a sandwich.
He takes off his hard hat, complains about the heat
and doesn’t think much about what he’s eating.
Another day, another dollar, another baloney sandwich.
Same thing happens with a student in a school cafeteria.
Coins slide down the slot in the vending machine, a door slides open,
a cold sandwich slides out.
Washed down with a can of Coke,
the student fails to notice the vague taste of ham salad
as she text messages friends on her cell phone.
Another school day schpeal.
Another go-through-the-motions meal.
But, when it comes eating,
this isn’t everyone’s experience.
When you’re hungry, for instance, really hungry,
meals become very important
and you pay attention to what’s on your plate.
Think of a family on a tight budget
where the mother skips a meal
so there’s enough food for her children to eat.
She stays busy at the kitchen counter
so her kids don’t notice that she’s holding back.
Think of the young boy who falls asleep
at the back of class.
When the teacher wakes him up she asks,
“Did you eat breakfast this morning?”
He rubs his eyes and says,
“Today wasn’t my turn to eat.”
That’s a story reported on the web site of Bread for the World.
It’s the story about an American child
in an American city.
It’s hard to believe that hunger does indeed exist
in a country where people spend an average of
$33 billion dollars a year on diet and weight loss products.
The same country that spends $500 billion on its military
and only $10 billion dollars to fight the enemies of peace
called hunger and poverty.
Each year, 6 million children die from malnutrition.
Fortunately, there is also good news to tell.
In recent years,
the problem of hunger is being addressed more effectively.
Through letter-writing campaigns like those conducted here at St. Al’s
and in churches around the country,
more money is being directed to help poor nations
to become more self-sufficient.
In the last 30 years, there has been a 20% reduction
in world hunger…
and that’s something to celebrate.
And, depending on your age,
for the last 30 years, or 50 years or 70 years,
or however old you are,
the Lord has been providing you with food and shelter.
Most days, like that construction worker on the job site
or that student in the cafeteria,
we take God’s blessings for granted.
But today, we’re reminded how important food really is
and how the Lord is mightily concerned with making sure
people have the basics they need:
food,
shelter,
medicine
and sacraments.
Sacraments like the holy bread we’ve come to church to receive today.
The Bread of Life,
the Body of Christ,
food not only for the soul
but a sacrament of compassion,
a sacrament connecting us to all the people,
all the hungry people of the world.
Second Draft
[This revison differs little from the first. If you compare, you’ll find some minor refinements and deletions for the purpose of a sharper focus. If you wish to hear it delivered on streaming audio, it will be posted on the St. Aloysious Gonzaga web site under “Parish” then “Homilies.” --JMS]
A construction worker grabs his lunch bucket,
finds a spot of shade and pulls out a sandwich.
He takes off his hard hat, complains about the heat
and doesn’t think much about what he’s eating.
Another day, another dollar, another peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Same thing happens with a student in a school cafeteria.
Coins slide down the slot in the vending machine,
a door slides open,
a cold sandwich slides out.
Along with a can of Coke,
the student fails to notice the mediocre taste
of something with a texture similar to ham salad
as she text messages friends on her cell phone.
Another day at school.
Another go-through-the-motions meal.
***
When it comes eating,
this sort of preoccupation
and lack of attention is common.
But this “lack of attention” isn’t everyone’s experience.
When you’re hungry, for instance,
meals become very important
and you pay attention to what’s on your plate
as well as what’s on the plates of the people around you.
For instance,
think of a family on a tight budget
where the mother skips a meal
so there’s enough food for her children to eat.
She stays busy at the kitchen counter
so her kids don’t notice that she’s holding back.
Think of the young boy who falls asleep
at the back of class.
The teacher wakes him up she asks,
“Did you eat breakfast this morning?”
He rubs his eyes and says,
“Today wasn’t my turn.”
Meaning,
“Today wasn’t my turn to eat.”
Might sound strange,
but it’s true.
That’s an actual statement
made by an American child
in an American city.
Incredible, isn’t it?
It’s hard to believe that hunger exists
in a country where people spend an average of
$33 billion dollars a year on diet and weight loss products.
The same country that spends $500 billion a year on its military
and only $10 billion a year to fight other dangerous enemies of peace,
insidious enemies of world peace known as Hunger, Starvation and Poverty.
Each year, 6 million children die from hunger and malnutrition.
Six million.
Children.
It’s hard to think about.
It’s a truth we’d rather not face.
Fortunately, there is also good news to tell.
In recent years,
the problem of hunger around the world
is being addressed more effectively.
For instance, in the last 30 years, there has been a 20% reduction
in world hunger…
and that’s something to celebrate.
Food is important.
Still, most days, like that construction worker on the job site
or that student in the cafeteria,
we take God’s blessing of food for granted.
But today’s gospel reminds us how important food really is.
It reminds us how important it is the Christ.
The gospel story tells us that the Lord is concerned
--mightily concerned—
with making sure
people have the basics they need:
that includes food,
shelter and medicine.
It also include those basic elements of the Christian faith
known as the sacraments.
Sacraments like the Holy Bread we’ve come to church to receive today.
The Bread of Life,
the very Body of Christ given to us today
in what appears…and only appears…to be bread.
This sacrament is not only for the soul
it is food for the heart, a gift of compassion.
A sacramental gift
connecting us to Christ and to everyone in the Church.
And, in some mysterious way,
to all the people of the world,
all the hungry people of the world.
______________________
(First draft)
A construction worker grabs the lunch bucket,
finds a spot of shade and pulls out a sandwich.
He takes off his hard hat, complains about the heat
and doesn’t think much about what he’s eating.
Another day, another dollar, another baloney sandwich.
Same thing happens with a student in a school cafeteria.
Coins slide down the slot in the vending machine, a door slides open,
a cold sandwich slides out.
Washed down with a can of Coke,
the student fails to notice the vague taste of ham salad
as she text messages friends on her cell phone.
Another school day schpeal.
Another go-through-the-motions meal.
But, when it comes eating,
this isn’t everyone’s experience.
When you’re hungry, for instance, really hungry,
meals become very important
and you pay attention to what’s on your plate.
Think of a family on a tight budget
where the mother skips a meal
so there’s enough food for her children to eat.
She stays busy at the kitchen counter
so her kids don’t notice that she’s holding back.
Think of the young boy who falls asleep
at the back of class.
When the teacher wakes him up she asks,
“Did you eat breakfast this morning?”
He rubs his eyes and says,
“Today wasn’t my turn to eat.”
That’s a story reported on the web site of Bread for the World.
It’s the story about an American child
in an American city.
It’s hard to believe that hunger does indeed exist
in a country where people spend an average of
$33 billion dollars a year on diet and weight loss products.
The same country that spends $500 billion on its military
and only $10 billion dollars to fight the enemies of peace
called hunger and poverty.
Each year, 6 million children die from malnutrition.
Fortunately, there is also good news to tell.
In recent years,
the problem of hunger is being addressed more effectively.
Through letter-writing campaigns like those conducted here at St. Al’s
and in churches around the country,
more money is being directed to help poor nations
to become more self-sufficient.
In the last 30 years, there has been a 20% reduction
in world hunger…
and that’s something to celebrate.
And, depending on your age,
for the last 30 years, or 50 years or 70 years,
or however old you are,
the Lord has been providing you with food and shelter.
Most days, like that construction worker on the job site
or that student in the cafeteria,
we take God’s blessings for granted.
But today, we’re reminded how important food really is
and how the Lord is mightily concerned with making sure
people have the basics they need:
food,
shelter,
medicine
and sacraments.
Sacraments like the holy bread we’ve come to church to receive today.
The Bread of Life,
the Body of Christ,
food not only for the soul
but a sacrament of compassion,
a sacrament connecting us to all the people,
all the hungry people of the world.
posted by BlueCollarPreacher at 11:47 AM
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