Give us this day our daily bread;
Matthew 6:11

      Martin Luther's interpretation of
      the 4th petition of the Lord's Prayer
What is this? Or What does it mean?
In fact, God gives daily bread without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we ask in this prayer that God cause us to recognize what our daily bread is and to receive it with thanksgiving.
      Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal, pp. 1163-4.

When we are called to the Communion Table, we are reminded every Sunday of the many ways that God feeds and nurtures us. Our spirits are fed by listening to the Word read and by hearing it interpreted through sermons, hymns, study and companionship. What does it mean that God also provides our daily bread? What are we called to do to show our thankfulness for the Earth's bounty?

Martin Luther's explanation of the 4th petition of the Lord's Prayer directs us to think about and be grateful for our daily bread. I think we need to look at the physical aspects of our eating habits, which may seem personal and local, but they really impact the whole world.

Several years ago my daughter's Girl Scout troop investigated the issue of world hunger. They found that if you think of the world's food supply as a loaf of bread containing 20 slices, the slices are distributed in the following manner:

Does it seem right that over 50% of the world's population makes due with 2% of the world's food? Could this be why 24,000 people will die today from hunger related issues? Food insecurity is widespread in our own country, but most of the people who die of starvation live far away in the Hunger Belt (Africa and countries around the equator). Do we owe them anything? If we feel we do, can we even get food to them? I don't have any easy answers for these large questions. But on a personal level, I have some simple suggestions

Reduce waste:
No one needs 16 slices of the world's daily loaf of bread. We can't really use that much food without a lot of waste. Make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of food we throw away. Stop overstocking our pantries. Have on hand enough food for 1 to 2 weeks. It is easier to know the contents of 2 or 3 partially filled shelves and of a refrigerator that is 1/2 to 2/3 full and to use them up.

Consider the effects of consuming excessive amounts of food:
No one needs the excess that consuming 16 slices of the world's daily loaf of bread entails. For instance, meat not only requires a great deal of grain for its production but it can create an excess of cholesterol.Try cutting way back on the amount of meat we eat, nor do we need desserts every day..

Dear God,
Thank you for giving the world its daily bread.
Help us to take only our fair share.
Help us to be mindful of the problem of hunger in the world.
Forgive us when we forget.
Amen

 
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Contributed by Susan
Sunday September 30, 2007
Liturgical Year C Week 44