As we count our blessings during this time of Thanksgiving, we also are reminded of those who are less fortunate than we are. A variety of news stories tell us about those who are hungry in this country. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 10 percent of adults and almost 17 percent of children live in “food insecure households.” Twenty-six million Americans rely on food stamps, an average weekly allotment of $21 or $1 per meal. This means many diets consist of rice, beans and low-cost starches. Fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and most meats are not found in many meals of food stamp recipients. By the way, food stamp benefits have not been adjusted for inflation in more than a decade. Food banks, soup kitchens and generous individuals daily feed many of these and other hungry persons that are part of communities throughout the county. However, all these efforts continue to be but a band aid and real cures for hunger are seemingly elusive.
Many factors contribute to the persistence of hunger and poverty in this nation. Voices for the hungry continually try to help us understand there are political solutions to social injustices. Low wages, high housing, medical and other costs of living expenses means a continuing struggle for many, esp. women, children and the elderly, to receive good nutrition. Oxfam and Bread for the World are well-respected resources for information about hunger issues and a good place to study what it means to “give us our daily bread.”
Let Thanksgiving be a time of social challenge for us so that more may come to the table of plenty another year. Let us pray the familiar Thanksgiving Prayer by Samuel F. Pugh:
"O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted."
Amen
Many factors contribute to the persistence of hunger and poverty in this nation. Voices for the hungry continually try to help us understand there are political solutions to social injustices. Low wages, high housing, medical and other costs of living expenses means a continuing struggle for many, esp. women, children and the elderly, to receive good nutrition. Oxfam and Bread for the World are well-respected resources for information about hunger issues and a good place to study what it means to “give us our daily bread.”
Let Thanksgiving be a time of social challenge for us so that more may come to the table of plenty another year. Let us pray the familiar Thanksgiving Prayer by Samuel F. Pugh:
"O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted."
Amen
2 comments:
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted."
Amen
and Amen
I truly think that Jesus' instructions to the disciples at the Last Supper were meant for them to use as an example of how to operate the coming church, Take, Break and Give. Take the bread. Break it into usable portions, and give it to all who need. Hungry people can't be spiritually fed until the roar in their bellies quiets enough for them to hear.Take. Collect from all. Break. Divide into daily portions.Give. Give what is taken and broken to all who need. Bless yourself by blessing others so that the spirit is fed and the bellies are fed.Underlying this concept was the implied law that the hungry must be able to eat. No plans for feeding tubes were ever considered for the spirit or the flesh.
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