Reach Out

During preparation for Eucharist, we recall our Baptism. Through baptism we become children of God. Because of our baptism we are called to live as children of God. We are called to serve one another and love one another, just as Jesus did.

The Eucharist nourishes us for our Christian life. We gather for Mass to pray together and to share a meal. Through the Eucharist we become the Body of Christ in the world.

As we prepare children to come to the table of the Lord, it is important for us to help them understand that being the Body of Christ in the world means serving one another. Help the children understand what it means to be Bread for the hungry and the poor.

We live in a society of instant gratification. We can put coins in machines and immediately a snack or a soda appears. We can pull up to a drive-thru window of a fast-food restaurant and have an entire meal in minutes. Help children understand that for some people, hunger is a real and life-threatening experience. Help them develop patterns which raise consciousness and encourage them to make regular contributions to food shelves or shelters.

"I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me."

Based on Matthew 25:35

• As a family, prepare a holiday meal with all the trimmings and donate it to a food shelf, or deliver it to someone who is homebound.
  
  
• Volunteer time at the local food shelf. Food shelves need people to organize donations for storage and distribution.
  
  
• Make homemade desserts for a shelter.
  
  
• Learn more about hunger in the world and what you can do to help.
  
  
• Look into purchasing livestock for a poor community in another part of the world through organizations such as Heifer Project International.