Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted. In the dining room in the Franciscan Family Center in Nairobi (Portiuncula) is a poster with the words: “Do not throw food away. Somebody somewhere needs it.” It is a reminder that is consistent with the Franciscan life of simplicity (and poverty for that matter). Francis of Assisi believed that if each and every person would have what rightly belongs to him/her (or what is enough for him/her), there wouldn’t be so much poverty and hunger in the world. It is a belief that Franciscans over the centuries have tried to embody in their lifestyle. “I have done what is mine to do. May the Lord teach you yours,” Francis had told the friars gathered about him as he was approaching his end. Well, one of the ways that those who reside at the Franciscan Family Center in Nairobi try to embody this insight of Francis in their lives is making sure that they don’t waste food. It is one of the ways through which we render thanks to the Lord for what the Lord has provided for us. And it is one of the lessons that the miracle of the loaves about which we hear in today’s Gospel Reading teaches us.
In the account of the miracle, Jesus begins by thanking God for what God has already provided. In a move that contrasts with that of the disciples who didn’t think they had the capacity to feed the multitude, Jesus chose not to focus on what they were lacking but rather on what they had at hand. True, the number of people present could not be compared with the food that was at their disposal, but Jesus trusted in the goodness of God. The same God who had provided the five loaves and the two pieces of fish could as well be trusted to provide for the whole group. And God did indeed provide. It has been suggested that the generous willingness of the boy to share his food with others prompted the rest to do likewise. Following the example of the boy, one after another, they too “put on the table” what they had carried, hence the multiplication. And it didn’t end there. After all had had their fill, Jesus instructed that all the fragments be gathered up. Even for Jesus, wastage of food was not acceptable.
Wasting food is a demonstration that one is ungrateful. And so when the Franciscan Family Center in Nairobi reminds its residents not to waste food, not only are they obeying their spiritual father, St. Francis, but most importantly, they are also obeying the command of God. Making sure that we use the goods at our disposal wisely is one of the ways that we carry out our responsibility of being stewards of God’s creation.