Food

I am the 1st Reader at Mass today. This was not my scheduled day to read, but someone needed a replacement. I am still not comfortable standing before 1,000 people reading scripture. I would be comfortable reading an anatomy text book.

 The 1st reading is an Old Testament reading from Deuteronomy. Moses is speaking to the people. He reminds them that God has provided for them, all the 40 years they have been wandering in the desert. He gave them manna; not by bread alone, but by manna from God, did the people survive the barren, waterless, parched desert.

 What do we need to survive? What do we need to thrive? I can survive on very little, subsistance living. In fact, I have consciously lived with less, trimming away excess, waste and extravagance. Abundance consumes great energy and time. Simplicity can be elegant and beautiful, even more grand that opulence.  It is the small things that catch the heart and feed the soul. That does not change the heart’s desire for beauty. having less and having less ability or access does not change the desire for something.

How do we feed our souls? From God, obviously. But from all of God’s grace, too. We need to see the manna he offers us and not be solely focused on BREAD. If all we see or desire is bread, we can starve…..when there is an abundance of manna from heaven under our feet.

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