World Hunger Must End

This is one of the most disconcerting articles I have ever read.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/17/hunger.week/index.html

I am a mother myself. And I cannot think a moment of what it would be like to see Katrina starving. I look at her and count our blessings...I am so very thankful for what we have.

How can a mother be forced to chose between her children? Whether they live or die? How is it that we can invent robots that communicate feeling when an apathetic world goes on uncaring?

We can do things like that, yet we cannot find a way to balance this hideous pendulum that swings like the Sword of Damocles above the hearts of men? Can we clone animals, alter genetics, cure disease, fight terrorism and yet, cannot feed the hungry?

I was sitting with Robin in her church, St. Christopher's, at mass on Sunday, listening to Father Anthony give a homily about what it is to give back what belongs to God. He told the story of the three Romans who tried to trick Jesus by showing him a coin that is stamped with Caesar's profile. They ask Him to whom does the coin belong: Caesar or God? Jesus responds by calling out their trickery, telling them to give to God what belongs to God and to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.

Father Anthony continued to say if God gave you two strong hands and arms, go out a help your elderly neighbor pick weeds. If He gave you some spare change, donate it to those who need it more than you. If you have a few minutes to spare, take the time to read to a child. On and on and on with examples. I sat with Robin and I gazed up at the simple, yet elegant crucifix hanging above the altar.

And asked myself the same question my mother did so many years back: "Are You real, or are we just fooling ourselves?"

But as I listened an Idea began to formulate in my head. The Idea began from the reason why Jesus the Christ was nailed to that Cross. He died for the absolving of sins, meaning He gave Himself up for others. Ok. So what is it to give back to others?

Then the entire world was split asunder and I knew. For the first time since I was nine years old, I could See.

The Man is not just a man who died for our sins. He is also a concept; an Idea. And Ideas never die - even if they slew His body, they never killed the Idea.

So what is the Idea?

The Grand Idea is to give back what belongs to God. Your body, mind, heart and soul belong to God. How do you give it back? By living selflessly for others! The way to Heaven isn't just by good works and deeds alone!

It is by the sacrifice of Self that you find your way in Heaven.

Your goal in life is to be as Christ is upon the Cross. The Cross represents the sacrifice you make for your fellow man. And sacrifice of Self can be anything: a few moments of your time, a few pennies-worth of change, picking weeds for an elderly neighbor, rescuing a stray cat, or even something as dramatic pushing someone out of the way of an out-of-control city bus.

Yet look at how disgusting our society is. America is such a consumer entity that we hardly think of how our waste could be affecting the outside world. People go out to eat and order heaping sums of food...the reason? Restaurants give larger portions so they can charge more for the meal. Buy cheap, sell high, and food is always in demand. People cannot possibly eat as much as they give you (Have you ever ordered the french toast at Perkins? Do you know how BIG those slices are?) and they leave these...half eaten meals on their plates. Or they feel guilty about having spent that much and they continue to eat despite being full and balloon into mammoth hulks of human flesh. And THEN society has the audacity to complain about being overweight. Then dole out portions that a human is supposed to consume! Don't ask me if I want fries! Or if I'll Super-Size that!

Now you might say, "It's up to the individual. They should decide when enough food is enough." I totally agree; I don't believe in suing McDonald's because "they made me fat". That's a cockamamie argument if ever I heard one. But when an establishment gives you twice...nay...three times the amount you should consume, anything leftover is just a wasted product. Ever hear the phrase "A starving child in India would kill for that?" after you leave a half-eaten platter on the table? It's TRUE!

So how do we fix this mess?

Rethink your portions, America. Take what is needed, and only that much, and help those less fortunate than yourselves by doling out some of the spare ribs to the people who live in impoverished or drought-ridden countries. I'm not saying go out and feed every homeless man who refuses to work or turn his hand for a decent day's wages...but like these poor mothers in Haiti, who work and toil and yet cannot gain enough due to rough weather patterns or drought. Or in Africa, where the problem is just as bad. Or Austrailia. Or elsewhere. I intend to reach out to some charitable organization, such as the Red Cross or perhaps through Robin's church, and either donate or find a way to help.

We are stewards of our environment, people. God left it to us to care for and protect. THIS is the Garden of Eden. But if we are to be the locust and rape the land of her natural resources and leave ourselves nothing...

So, ahem...when ARE You going to flood the earth again?


GRRRRR!!!!