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As we enter this season of Lent, I amnewly struck by the reading of Matthew4:1-11. In this passage Jesus entered thedesert willingly, knowingly. He knew hewas going to be tempted by the devil. Hewas going to be tempted, the Spirit of God led him there. It was time withoutfood. It was a time of solitude andprayer for Jesus. This was a time of preparation for the sacrifice at hand.When we participate in a Lenten fast,we do so willingly. We do so for a spe-cific time, fully aware of an ending time.We enter in to a time of going “without”with the luxury of knowing we will soongo “with.” We enter hoping and prayingthat the space created would be used byGod for change. When I read this pas-sage this season, I was caught by thephrase ‘Jesus was hungry.’ Everyday weoffer showers to folks who are homelessor near homeless and we encounter Jesuswho is hungry – maybe tired and dis-couraged – but definitely hungry. Itseems odd to go without voluntarilywhen so many of our friends go withouton a regular basis. Some go without ba-sic provision of food, clothing, shelter,adequate healthcare, living wage (or nowage), respect and dignity. It remindsme of a Peter Maurin quote about try-ing to create space where it’s easierfor people to be good. It’s hard to “dogood” if you are struggling for sur-vival. It’s hard to make good choiceswhen basic needs aren’t met. Jesuswas more vulnerable because he washungry, more susceptible because heunderstood the pangs of hunger. Be-ing tempted with the satisfaction thatfood would bring or gratificationpower would supply would have dif-ferent meaning if Jesus hadn’t beenhungry. Our homeless friends knowwhat it’s like to be vulnerable andsusceptible and go without. We are allfaced with daily decisions but peoplewho go without food, clothing andshelter are forced to make decisionsthat may compromise or call intoquestion the meaning of “good”.A time set aside for prayer andfasting deepens our faith and helps usremember from whom our “bread”,our sustenance comes. To go withouthelps us appreciate when we go with.To go without causes us to take pausefrom the expectation and thoughtless-ness of consumerism. To go withouthelps us to reorient our minds and ourbodies. We are a needy, captive audi-ence to hear what God is saying orteaching us. To go without causes usto think about our pursuits and hope-fully, retrains us to temper our desiresfor instant gratification. It reminds usthat we are sustained by more thanthat which feels good or numbs out,but by that which God sees as good,as life-giving – physically AND spiri-tually.My prayer this Lenten season isfor all to have basic needs met, forspace to be made in our hearts forGod to transform our minds, and forall to have not only enough but a littleextra to share in order that we mightnot be vulnerable and susceptible but“good.”
Jesus Was Hungry
by Jodi Garbison
Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
Rock Out & Reach Out
… 4/18, bene-fit concert to promote justice & sustain-ability at Crosstown Station, 15th &McGee KCMO, doors open at 8pm.
Midwest Catholic Worker Retreat
… 4/24-27, in Stockton, Illinois.
Chalk Walk
… 4/25-26, ConcoursePark, Historic Northeast KCMO.
Women’s Day
… 4/29, 11:30am.What special talent will you offer?
Holy Family Art & Talent Night
… 5/1, Holy Family House, 912 East31st Street KCMO, 7pm.
(Please contact Cherith Brook for more details on any of these events.)
cook meals, sort donations,host showers, cut hair,launder clothing, garden,electrical work, simple carpentry,assemble sack dinners,redo kitchen cabinets,mail newsletter, clean house,general maintenance, fencing,tuck pointing, trim work,& more...
We are so thankful for volunteers, likeSue Heller & Nicole Browning, who provide meals, help in the clothingcloset, and with showers.
Join Our ExtendedCommunity
Jodi Garbison and her daughter, Diana, building bird houses together.
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