Introduction
Jesus takes the loaves, gives thanks, and distributes them among everyone present. These actions not only remind us of the Eucharist, they call us back to the basics of eating and sharing in community.
Context
Scientists recommend cutting our sugar intake by half.
The number of hospital admissions across the UK for teenagers with eating disorders has nearly doubled in the last three years.
3.6 million meals for people in need were donated at the recent Neighbourhood Food Collection, organised by Fareshare, Trussell Trust and Tesco.
Real Junk Food projects run ‘Pay-As-You-Feel’ cafés using only intercepted 'waste' food.
During Ramadan, the Big Iftar initiative encouraged mosques to invite friends and neighbours from different faiths and ethnicities to share the Iftar (fast-breaking) meal at sunset.
Reflection
We, in the west, have developed a complicated relationship with food. Few of us grow or catch what we need to eat. Instead we shop in huge supermarkets, full of all kinds of exotic produce. But we have difficulty making wise use of this abundance. Obesity is on the rise. Seven million tonnes of food and drink are thrown away in UK homes every year, more than half of which could have been eaten. Television programmes such as Masterchef present cooking as a demanding and competitive skill. Meanwhile, stressed workers bolt down sandwiches at their desks, and hassled households rely on packaged food heated up in the microwave. In the midst of all this complexity, we remember the impossible simplicity with which Jesus fed the crowd, using only five barley loaves and two fish.
A child provided the barley loaves and fish. Children are increasingly becoming victims of our misuse and mistrust of food. Young people struggle to maintain a healthy relationship with what they eat, and lack confidence in their body image. Their contribution to our community life needs to be affirmed.
Twelve baskets were filled with the leftovers of the five barley loaves. We are not told what happened to them. More and more people are becoming concerned about leftovers, and finding creative uses for them. One example is the Real Junk Food Project. Corin Bell, their director in Manchester, paid for her latest haircut with £15-worth of food and her website bill was settled in cake!
The Gleaning Network UK takes inspiration from a biblical principle.
Ramadan ended recently. It was not only a month of fasting, but also a time of sharing, hospitality and the renewal of friendship. The Big Iftar initiative encouraged Muslims to reach out and build bridges. There is no better way to bring people together than over food. In his Eid al-Fitr message, the Archbishop of Canterbury stressed the need for frank and open relationships with the Muslim community, honest about disagreement, but committed to one another as human beings: ‘That is how we will face the challenge of all the different circumstances that affect our communities, and how together we can be a blessing and a strength for this country.’
The sacramental actions of the Eucharist are not divorced from the world. They remind us of the essentials: shared thanksgiving for the provision of our daily bread.
Prayer
Based on Psalm 145.
This call and response is used at the end of each line marked (R).
The eyes of all look to you:
Give them their food in due season.
O faithful and gracious God,
you who uphold the falling, and raise up those bowed down,
we bring to you all who hunger:
Anxious farmers scanning the skies for signs of rain. (R)
Refugees reliant on food handouts standing in queues for hours. (R)
Cash-strapped parents forced to swallow their pride and rely on a foodbank to feed their children. (R)
Victims of abuse desperate for affection, kindness and respect. (R)
Young people hungry for adventure and a purpose in life. (R)
All those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. (R)
Open your hand,
and satisfy our desires,
Amen.
Questions
- What does participating in the Eucharist mean to you?
- Have you ever shared a meal of religious significance with members of another faith?
Action
Hold a communion service which leads into a shared meal. As well as contributions for the meal, invite people to bring donations of long-life food for the local foodbank.
Young People
Research the issue of food waste. How much food goes into your kitchen bin each week? How much waste do local supermarkets generate? What initiatives are being/could be taken to reduce food waste?
Ann Conway-Jones is a freelance writer, theological educator, and biblical scholar from Birmingham.
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