Trying not to Waste

"Gather the fragments left over." Jn 6:13

Waste is a terrible sin. Most of us learned this simple truth when we were young. Food especially was too important to waste and yet today researchers tell us that 30% to 40% of food is wasted in the United States. Every time we friars make too much food and it isn't consumed as leftovers, I feel guilt. All of us, I imagine, can do better with preparing and consuming only the food we will eat.

How awful our own practices in the United States seem over against today's Gospel. Jesus commanded his disciples to “"Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.' So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat." I wonder what Jesus then did with the leftovers? Did he give some to those seemed most in need? Did he encourage the disciples to take some for themselves? What would you do? How do you think we could better in the United States and in our own families and religious communities?

Today, try to prepare only enough food you can reasonably eat.

Who most influenced you in enjoying the precious food we have and not to waste?