16/10/2018

Good Morning

Many years ago I attended a Middle East Inter faith summit of Christians, Muslims and Jews in Jordan. All was going well until lunch on day Two. The glass jugs containing crimson red liquids had not been labeled clearly. Before they knew it, a handful of Islamic scholars were suddenly imbibing red wine instead of grape juice. On a neighbouring table, a group of hungry Christians hadn’t spotted the special “kosher ” sign on the table in front of them. They ate the lot and left the trailing Jewish delegates who arrived late, looking with disdain at the unacceptable offerings of pork on the surrounding tables. There was talk of sabotage, a lack of respect. The summit was at least, temporarily derailed.

I believe that humanity is what it is, at all, because of its relation to soil and the life that God makes possible through it. Today has been denoted as World Food Day, a moment not only to reflect on the continuing injustices of food distribution, but also to herald the huge advances made possible by the growing Fair Trade movement. “You are what you eat” may sound a cliché, but it’s true. Food nutrients provide the foundation of even the tiniest of cells in our bodies. But our choices over the sourcing of food also provide a road map into our ethical awareness and moral priorities.” Climate change and a growing global population mean the human race will need to be smarter than ever to ensure mouths are fed while at the same time people are treated justly for their daily labour.

Dear God, food and the earth it comes from are a gift from way beyond ourselves. Let us treat it and each other with the respect that it deserves.

AMEN