The eyes of all look expectantly to you, Lord, and you give them their food in due
season. You open wide your hand and satisfy the desires of every living creature.
Psalm 145: 15-16
How many family dinners, church picnics and monastery meals have been blessed with these words? As people of faith, we tie the food we enjoy and need with the loving hand of our Creator. How appropriate and necessary that we share thanks to God before each meal.
The lessons the week of August 2 speak of food from God. In Isaiah 55, God invites the Jewish captives in
Babylon to eat and drink. The prophet shares words of hope and life—the people of Israel will return home to bless all nations.
“Feeding the 5,000,” the miracle in Matthew 14, parallels Gospels Mark, Luke and John with Jesus looking to heaven, blessing bread and fish to provide for and satisfy the multitude of women, men and children. A banquet divine!*
Our sense of sight helps us enjoy food. Is it appealing to the eye; does it have a reliable source? Your pet watches you— only you—to give it daily food? (Fido can’t fill its own bowl!) Likewise, you and me.
Though others participate in our food system— planting, harvesting, processing, transporting and preparing for the table—ultimately, God our Creator, giving plants, animals, air, sunshine and water, is the Provider.
Isaiah 55, Psalm 145, and Matthew 14 point us to Holy Communion. As we are nourished by the Bread of Life (John 6) each day, we are invited to gather with one another over bread and wine, to “take and eat,” and “take, drink,” in Christ’s new covenant with us for the forgiveness of sins. Here is a “foretaste of the feast to come,” anticipation of the eternal heavenly meal.
We live in challenging times, as local and global hunger increases. Our unity in the Eucharist moves and empowers us to gather food for the West Salem Food Bank, distribute holiday baskets and advocate in the U.S. Congress. Today, each of us is working hard to nourish family members, essential and frontline workers and neighbors near and far. Let’s not give up serving what God provides!
We pray:
Loving God, faithful in your promises and tender in compassion. Listen to our hymn of joy, and continue to satisfy the needs of all your creatures, that all may bless your name in your eternal rule, where with your Son and the Holy Spirit you live and rule now and forever. Amen.
(Prayer found on P. 759, of Year 1, Vol. II, For All the Saints, compiled / edited by F. Schumacher & D. Zelenko, published by American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, 2005)
Pastor Ed Brandt