"Hungry?": A Reflection on the Psalm for August 12th, 2018: Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalms 34:1-8

Taste and see that the Lord is good!

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and be glad. 

Taste and see that the Lord is good!

3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. 

Taste and see that the Lord is good!

5 Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 

Taste and see that the Lord is good!
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7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!

Taste and see that the Lord is good!

A juicy, cheesy, burger. Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Fresh picked strawberries. Warm-out-of-the-oven cookies.

Bacon.

Just, bacon. 

In the wise words of Maria from The Sound of Music, “These are a few of my favourite things!” When I’m stressed, when I’m happy, when I want to celebrate or when I want to drown my sorrows—I eat. You could call it emotional eating, but I call it feeding my soul—literally. And I know when something tastes good. I'm sure you do too—and the writer of this week’s psalm is counting on that! ​

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” We know what “good” tastes like.  My mother (a great cook) made sure we were good eaters. Whatever was put in front of us, is what we were expected to eat. The meal time rule was: try it—you just might like it. In other words, “Taste... and see”. While she was expanding my culinary experience, this devout Catholic woman was also providing me with a familiar image to explore a relationship with our good and gracious God. What happens when I experience that goodness—be it from food or the Father? I want to share it! Yet sometimes, I actually don’t want to share. On a bad day, I dare you to try and put your spoon in my pint of Häagen Dazs ice cream. Don't do it! It won't end well for you. Sometimes I'm selfish too, in my relationship with God. He's my God. I want to keep God to myself so no one can ruin, compete with or take away my relationship. In such moments, I hear my mother's voice: ‘Aurea! Share the ice cream!’ God is present to me and is in relationship with me through other people; through a community of believers who mutually share the 'who' and 'what' of our God. I need to have a personal relationship with God, but if I'm going to be a disciple, it cannot be a private relationship. Jesus taught us that. 

How often does scripture tell us of Jesus feeding people or sitting down to a meal with others? Our faith is communal. Sure I have eaten by myself or made meals for myself. But this necessary function for life becomes something else when it is done as a group activity. In those shared moments, memories and relationships are made. The psalmist reminds us that God shares in those nourishing moments with us if we let Him. Through Jesus, the Bread of Life, God feeds the relationship that allows us to know our Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This never-ending source of nourishment is there for the asking. We only need to be willing and open to receiving it—and feed others!  
 
Like the psalmist, God's goodness to us must be told to others so that they too can taste and see that the Lord is indeed good. Hungry?

​Aurea Sadi

"God is present to me and is in relationship with me through other people; through a community of believers who mutually share the 'who' and 'what' of our God." - Aurea Sadi (Ora Reflections)