We Become What We Eat; What We Eat Becomes Us
2021년 8월 1일We Become What We Eat; What We Eat Becomes Us
<Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time >
Last week we looked at the tragedy of wasting food in a world where people are starving to death. Today we look at a world where people hunger, not just for food, but for meaning. In this regard, all of us are hungry. We all hunger for meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. Nothing is worse than thinking your life is meaningless, going nowhere, and empty. Everyone eventually asks, “What is the purpose of my life?” Is it success? Wealth? Fame? Happiness? The United States is arguably the richest nation in the history of the world. So why are so many people unhappy? Maybe there’s more to life than money—and food.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “If God were to come to earth, it would be in the form of bread.” Gandhi saw the starving masses and knew they needed bread. But it’s not enough just to have a full stomach. Jesus tells us, “Humans do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” Jesus knows that, while bread is necessary for life, it’s not satisfying by itself. It does not give life meaning. Jesus is both the Word of God as well as the Bread that came down from heaven. Jesus teaches us that we are only fully alive when we love our neighbor, forgive our enemies, defend the weak, visit the sick and lonely, and work for justice and peace. And here is the good news: Jesus gave us himself in the form of bread to empower us to live holy and meaningful lives. We gather around the table of the Lord at Mass to partake of his Body, so it may become us and we, by our countless acts of love and mercy, may become him.