Posts Tagged ‘Psalm 145:8-13’

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2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalm 145:8-13; John 6:1-21

If someone were to ask you what it feels like to be hungry, how would you answer? Perhaps you would begin by describing what a hunger pang is like, how your stomach feels as if it is tied in knots. You might explain that when hungry, your blood sugar drops and you get a headache or are prone to be shaky, mentally dull and lacking of energy. You could speak about how embarrassing it is when your stomach begins to growl, usually at an awkward time, like during the silences during the Prayers of the People, eliciting a polite smile from your neighbor. All of us here today know what it feels like to be hungry because it is a common experience. No matter who you are or your station in life, your body needs food regularly in order to function properly.

Now what would you say if that same person asked you what it looks like to be hungry? Look at your neighbor, do they look hungry and if so, how can you tell? I have to admit when I reflected on this question, I cheated and googled the question: “what does hunger look like,” then clicked the images icon and what I saw was alarming. There was a picture of African children with distant eyes looking at a camera while holding empty bowls. Another showed a group of what appeared to be Indian women and children with their hands extended towards someone handing out food, their faces drawn with a look of desperation. Another was a black and white photograph from the Great Depression in this country showing men, women, and children looking deflated, waiting in a long line at a soup kitchen hoping to get a meal. Perhaps none of us here present are experiencing, or have ever experienced hunger of this magnitude, certainly not I. But I suspect it all begins with that one hunger pang, the body’s natural indication of need. Hunger is an indication of need, and it is automatic. Read More