麻豆社

Good morning.

It鈥檚 not often presenters of this programme are interrogated. We now know Mishal dared open her freezer at the weekend and Justin hasn鈥檛 a clue what he throws away. But how honest were they really: no food older than five years? During a clear-out I gave my cousin a packet of marzipan, knowing he loves it. Fearing for his teeth, he discovered it dated to the previous millennium. I used to boast we threw away nothing: if we wouldn鈥檛 eat it the dog would, if he wouldn鈥檛 the hens would and if they wouldn鈥檛 my father would. Now he鈥檚 gone, we have compost by the hen-house.

A third of global food is wasted. UK rubbish could feed thirty million. From the mid-twentieth century to a few years ago, food dropped from costing a third of our income to ten or fifteen percent. And with it our appreciation. Now perhaps up a bit鈥�

Travelling in Namibia I was introduced to a mother who had enough mealie-meal for that day. And tomorrow? She shrugged. She had no idea how she would feed her children鈥� or whether.

Give us this day our daily bread, Jesus鈥� followers were taught. When did you last say that鈥� and mean it?

He called Himself the bread of Life. Not the sunshine or sleep, the clothing or shelter. But what we need to consume. Come to me, He said, and never be hungry again.

His apologist Saint Paul wrote food is for the stomach and the stomach for food. But that鈥檚 only part of the story. Since the dawn of time we鈥檝e gathered to eat for other reasons. At a friend鈥檚 house on Saturday I was deeply impressed by a fellow guest who, for health reasons, brought a simple soup to eat while the rest of us glutted on several courses. How much we must be worth, how valued, to spend an evening with us just for our conversation, our society, our company!

I left a little taller.

The cup we bless, Paul wrote further: isn鈥檛 it communion with the blood of Christ? The bread we break: isn鈥檛 it communion 鈥� something we have in common 鈥� with Christ鈥檚 body? Because we all eat the same bread, we鈥檙e all part of the same body.

鈥淐ommunion鈥�: also known as eucharist, or giving thanks. Lent and Ramadan, both ongoing, and Passover starting soon, all deprive us for a season鈥� and help us appreciate always. A Muslim lodger, now friend, felt deep affinity with our saying Grace before food.

Imagine you lost everything you didn鈥檛 say thank you for today. Faith or none, gratitude is good. Perhaps before opening our mouths to eat anything, we could stop.

And give thanks.

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