Fr. Simon's Letter - July 31, 2021

‘What is it?’ – that is what manna literally means. The daily bread given by God to the Israelites during their forty years of wilderness wandering. Manna received its name reportedly from the question the Israelites asked when they first saw it, “What is it?” or “ mannu.” The people were instructed to gather it daily with the exception of the Sabbath. If they gathered too much, the remainder would spoil. Only on the sixth day were they permitted to gather a double portion. It was not until Israel finally arrived in Canaan and began to eat of the produce of the Promised Land did the manna cease to fall.

Manna was described as a fine flake-like frost. It was like a coriander seed, white, and had the taste of a wafer made with honey. Manna could be prepared in a variety of ways: ground into a meal, boiled in pots or made into cakes. Manna was the only regular meal that the people of Israel had for forty years.

God’s providence to the people of Israel through their wandering years reminds us of three things: first, the continued dependence of the people on the God who brought them out of the land of slavery, sustained them with manna in the desert and water from the rock and protected them from serpents and other calamities. 

Second, it reminds us not to hold on to things for long. The people of Israel had to gather ‘ manna’ enough for the day, except on the day before the Sabbath, or else the manna would rot. It is why we pray ‘give us this day our daily bread.’ This past week Pope Francis sent a message to the UN General Secretary on the occasion of the UN Pre-Summit on Food Systems which was held in Rome. 

Pope Francis stated that ‘this pandemic has confronted us with the systemic injustices that undermine our unity as a human family,’ while the poorest, and the earth itself ‘cries out for the damage we inflict on them and her through irresponsible use and abuse of the goods with which God has endowed her.’

While he denounced the ‘scandal’ of hunger in a world that produces enough food for all people, he underlined that it is ‘not enough to produce food;’ what is also needed is a ‘new mindset and a new holistic approach to design food systems that protect the earth and keep the dignity of the human person at the center, that ensure enough food globally and promote decent work locally, and that feed the world today, without compromising the future.’

Finally, the manna is a foreshadowing of the true Bread from Heaven. Each time we gather to share the Bread of Life, we acknowledge our dependence on God, express our gratitude for his blessings, and ask for strength to continue our sharing and caring beyond the eucharistic table. 

I thank you for your presence at our eucharistic table, whether it is daily or Sundays or whenever you feel the need to be fed. Please know that your presence at the table is a blessing to you, your family and all present. 

Blessings!!