Waste not, Want not

"Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted." Jn 6:12

Many of us can remember sitting at our kitchen table forced by our parents to stare at cold, uneaten food. We would not be allowed to go to bed, they warned, until every morsel was eaten. While some today may think this behavior abusive or cruel, it was effective. We learned that wasting food, and anything else for that matter, was wrong, and while Jesus was not concerned about the same things as our parents, he did not want his disciples to waste something as precious as food, even when it appeared there was too much for the crowd to finish.

Waste is something which everyone should avoid. Several years ago the mother of a friar from Australia was visiting us in Boston, and could not watch us pour clean water down the drain after meals when so much of Australia was suffering from a devastating drought. Unfortunately, most of us have to experience a terrible loss before we appreciate fully what we have.

Easter is a good time to develop gratitude practices that help us remember, no matter how difficult life might be, to be grateful for all of earth's gifts. Clean water, adequate food, and clean air should not be taken for granted. One has only to travel to the developing world to know how precious these simple gifts are, and Jesus reminds us not only to treasure the gift of nourishing food but to share it with the hungry.

Today, sit for a minute and drink a glass of water slowly.

How do you think we ought to address waste in the world?