PB&J

     If you were to take 100 bags of groceries and line them up as a representation of the world's supply of food, you would find that an overwhelming majority of those bags go to the United states. Truly a disgusting majority of those bags is consumed by the citizens of the United States. This was a visual we re-enacted in a class I took on church leadership many years ago and it is staggering in effect.

     The our in "our daily bread"  is not who can afford it. When Jesus says 'when you do for the least of my children' you do it to me, well that is just a bit indicting isn't it?  When I say that God loves me at least as much as the person next to me or on the other side of the globe, we know we are all connected , all beloved creatures of God. 

     How can we so easily dismiss our fellow world citizens when we easily have the capacity to feed everyone? It makes me terribly sad that there is a proclamation by some that the United States is a "Christian country" and yet we do not tend to the starving even here at home. We legislate away breakfasts for school kids, we diminish food programs in the name of tax cuts for the rich. The alt right ultra conservative "Christians" that are so quick to judgment of others are perhaps the most self indicting group that ever graced the planet. Hypocrites one and all.

     And yet I am filled with hope that a young girl, I believe she was an Episcopalian, on these shores that 'invented' the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich ministry, an outreach program that has reached so many and taken up as a cause by so many  churches and communities.

      What would that ministry be without the bread to put the peanut butter and the jelly on? Bread is a foundational food around the world. So many forms, so many delights. Who does not enjoy a slice of bread fresh from the oven, hearth or pan? Add some butter and now you're talking!  We use the term "bread of life" in our services which speaks to not only feeding those yearning for spiritual food and the body of Christ who offered up himself for us, but also for feeding what we all need as a humans in a fundamentally universal form - bread.

       I am not sure where this is all going. I know we need to be cognizant of the fact that we are all world citizens and all brothers and sisters. If we hold to any belief in God, regardless of denomination, we know we are all to care for each other. Can we agree that food is a fundamental right? Can we work to that goal in God's name? Can we adopt a philosophy that 'we should live simply so that others may simply live'?

Our Father in heaven,
   hallowed be your name. 

Your kingdom come.
   Your will be done,
     on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts,
     as we also have forgiven our debtors. 
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
     but rescue us from the evil one.