Third Sunday of Easter – C
May 4, 2025 5pm
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton
World Central Kitchen
Back in 2010, there was a devastating earthquake in Haiti.
Maybe some of us can still remember the news reports of this and the humanitarian crisis that followed. In response to this, a Spanish American named Jose Andres and his wife Patricia went into action.
Jose Andres was a chef and a restaurant owner. He began what is called World Central Kitchen.
The purpose of this organization is to provide food in areas devastated by war or by natural disasters, like earthquakes. World Central Kitchen has thousands of volunteers.
For example, within hours of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they were at work. They were eventually serving 35,000 meals a day in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries.
They set up food centers in shelters and train stations and places like that. Over these past fifteen years, World Central Kitchen has helped in many countries, like Israel, Palestine, Turkey, and Australia.
And they have helped here in the United States – in Florida after the major hurricane, in Los Angelos during the wildfires, and during the Covid pandemic providing food to millions of people. It is worth listening to a few words from Jose Andres.
He says: “World Central Kitchen started with a simple idea at home with my wife Patricia. When people are hungry, send in cooks.
“Everyone knows that food is central to life. Food is even more essential in a crisis.
“You see, food relief is not just a meal that keeps hunger away. It’s a plate of hope.
“It tells you in your darkest hour that someone, somewhere cares about you. This is the real meaning of comfort food.
“And after a disaster, food is the fastest way to rebuild our sense of community. Cooking and eating together is what makes us human.”
So, life – hope – and community – just hold on to those three words of Jose Andres and I will come back to them in a minute.
Jesus Gives Food
I am led to think about World Central Kitchen by today’s gospel.
This is the third appearance of the Risen Jesus to the apostles in John’s gospel. The Risen Jesus has cooked some fish and bread and invites the apostles to eat.
Some of the wording in this passage is almost identical to the wording used at the last Supper. “Jesus took the bread and gave it to them.”
The idea is that this incident is a way for Jesus to remind them of the food he gave at the Last Supper. There, the bread and wine become Jesus – his body and blood.
What This Food Does
And this food, the Eucharist, does things for us that are similar to what the food of World Central Kitchen does.
First, the sacrament of the Eucharist gives us life. And the life it gives is Jesus’ life, God’s life.
We are brought into this life first at baptism. And now, the food of Jesus’ body and blood nourishes and strengthens this life.
Second, this sacrament gives us hope. It is Jesus himself here with us, within us.
That is what we mean by Holy Communion. It tells us that no matter what happens, Jesus, God is with us, including times when we feel guilty or alone or disappointed or hurt or whatever – Jesus is with us giving us hope for today and tomorrow.
And third, this sacrament brings us together as a community. It makes us one with one another.
It is Communion with a capital C – Communion with Jesus or God – and also communion with a small c – communion with one another. It draws us into a community and helps us to realize our oneness with all God’s people.
Conclusion
So, life, hope, and community – these are the effects of the food of the Eucharist.
This is why it is good for us to be here and to receive this sacred food. This is why Sunday Mass has been a trademark of Catholicism.
Today let’s renew our resolve to be here each week for this food – Jesus’ body and blood.
