the hungry
Pray the News – October 1st, 2023
I received an email this week from Harvest of Hope, the organization that Liberty Vineyard has participated with many times in the past as we’ve gleaned vegetables and fruits and seen them collected on the same day by food pantries and other agencies so that they would reach the tables of hungry people the very same day. The pandemic curtailed gleaning many of these opportunities over the last three and a half years, but they are starting to open up this incredible life-giving network again, and I’m looking for a way for those of us who want to go gleaning again to get involved again! Harvest of Hope is the educational arm of the Society of St. Andrew, which “envisions a world in which physical and spiritual hungers are met through God’s grace and abundance in Jesus Christ.”
Today we’re going to pray for the hungry together. I will do three short readings, each one followed by a prayer that we will pray together as a congregation.
Over 40 million children, adults, and senior citizens in this land of plenty struggle every day to have enough food to eat. What are God’s people to do? Deuteronomy 15:11 says “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.”
God of justice, forgive us for forgetting to think about others. Forgive us for forgetting that all we have comes from you. Unclench our fists and awaken our hearts so we may be your generous people. Give us the will to open our hands to the poor and to our needy neighbors.
In Luke 3:11 Jesus said that “whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” God supplies abundantly! More than enough food is available to feed those who don’t have enough to eat.
God of creation, our land is filled with an abundance of food, yet some are still hungry. Give us grace to share, willingly and joyfully, with your hungry children across our land. Let us be an obedient and faithful people who meet the needs of the poor.
In Matthew 25:37 Jesus tells us a parable in which we are challenged with this question, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food or thirsty and gave you something to drink?” Jesus, were you the woman who waited my table? Were you the man I walked by without seeing? Are you a child in my neighborhood who goes to bed hungry? Jesus answers his question in Matthew 25:40, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.”
Loving God, You care for all creation and command us to care for the poor of our nation and world. Open our eyes to recognize the needs that are before us in the lives of the poor, open our ears to hear the cries of your hungry children, and restore our will to respond. May we remember that the service we give to others is service given to your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
