Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them to the crowd. They had also a few small fish; and after blessing them, he ordered that these too should be distributed. They ate and were filled.

˜ Mark 8:6-8a

I am not a foodie. When people start waxing rhapsodic about a recipe and rattling off all the ingredients to me, or they list every element of a wonderful meal they had, my mind goes to static. I couldn't possibly care less. I eat to stay alive. I enjoy eating, but I do not have any interest in cooking or pondering myriad ingredients and oven temperatures.

When I try to understand the importance of food in the ministry of Jesus, though, I sometimes need to put myself in the shoes of someone who is a foodie. I challenge myself to view it through the lens of someone who has a strong, profound connection to cooking and feeding. For people like that, food is far, far more than just something you wolf down to stay alive. Food, for them, contains a whole universe of taste and smell and symbolism. It is a holy ministry, in their perception, to feed people.

Jesus feels compassion for the people who have traveled far to see him. His soft heart knows that they must be hungry and tired, so he wants to feed them. The wisdom of God is the spiritual food that nourishes and strengthens us, and Jesus adds to that by providing tangible food that strengthens our physical selves. God always seeks to nourish us and tend to our needs.

Reflect: What does food symbolize to you? How do the two feeding stories in Mark shape your understanding of the spiritual food of God?

This Lenten Meditation can be found at Episcopal Relief and Development