The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. —John 6:51
Jesus the Christ did not talk in this truly shocking way (see John 6:60) so we could worship bread and wine. He came so that we would recognize his presence in all things, not just in the human body of Jesus, not just in the human body of God’s people (1 Corinthians 12:12ff), but even in the nurturing elements of the earth, symbolized by the food of bread and wine (1 Corinthians 11:23ff), and therefore to the very edges of creation (Romans 8:19).
From the way we treat the planet, other humans, and sometimes even ourselves, it seems we don’t understand or really believe this. When you don’t recognize that the Christ Mystery is universal, that God is present in—and is saving—all of creation, you can choose what you respect and what you disrespect, what you love and what you hate. t. The Baltimore Catechism answered the sixteenth question, “Where is God?” quite clearly: “God is everywhere.”
So the challenge is – as we come from the Eucharist and our holy meal of bread and wine, what message do we bring to the food or snacks we serve after Church?
Is it honouring to God to serve sugary junk food or drinks in non-recyclable Styrofoam cups? Our service of food should be as honouring to God as the service of the Eucharist.
In our serving of snacks or food after church we have the opportunity to be role models, challenging the prevalence of junk foods in society, by modelling healthy organic foods that are of benefit to our bodies and the planet.
Adapted from Richard Rohr