Selfless generosity - sharing all one has

“Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” – John 6:12.

Today’s Gospel reading coincides perfectly with today’s news about how our country wastes P23-million worth of rice daily, an amount that can feed 4.3 million Filipinos!

How can a poor country with millions of hungry Filipinos afford to waste so much rice daily?

Very easily, according to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI). Each Filipino wastes an average of 3 tablespoons or 9 grams of rice daily, which converts into 3.3 kilos per year. Quoting FNRI data, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) reported that with 94 million Filipinos, total wastage per day is a staggering 308,000 tons, which is 36% of 2011 rice imports (about 860,000 metric tons)!

Responsible consumption can reduce much of this wastage. “Save rice, save lives” is now being actively promoted to make every Filipino aware about their responsibility to avoid rice wastage. Responsible consumption awareness has to be actively encouraged not only within our country but throughout the world where wasteful consumption is so evident. Responsible sharing will also ensure that all cooked rice and other food will be consumed daily.

Last January 2011, there were 3.4 million households that reported having experienced hunger, according to the Social Weather Stations Survey. With escalating prices and no significant improvement in employment and wages, the number of hungry Filipino households could be more this year. With an average of 5 members per household, that can mean about 17 million Filipinos or more who are experiencing hunger this year!

If everyone learns how to consume rice properly or how to share cooked rice generously, without any amount going to waste, at least 4.3 million Filipinos can be saved from experiencing hunger each day!

Communities can be organized to create networks for responsible sharing of rice and other extra food from each household. The PNoy government has to work even harder to leave behind a legacy of having provided sufficient food daily for all Filipinos- of having solved the problem of hunger and lack of food among our people. Each one of us, however, also will have to do our share of giving our all especially to the most needy, whose numbers are legion!

Today’s Gospel reading (John 6:1-15) about the multiplication of the loaves and fish is a timely, providential reminder about what each one can do to alleviate the hunger of the hungry millions. Had the little boy not shared all that he had at that moment (the five barley loaves and two fish), had Andrew not shared his observation that there was this boy with the loaves and the fish, everyone would have missed the simple truth that Jesus wanted all to experience: that the miracle of the multiplication of the bread and fish was a MIRACLE OF SELFLESS GENEROSITY. Then the hungry multitude would not have been fed, physically, spiritually.

As so beautifully shared by Fr. Tito Soquino to us much earlier and reiterated by Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB (from whom we borrowed today’s article title taken from his write-up for today’s SABBATH): “All the Lord needed was readiness and willingness for each of them to give their all.” Then the people witnessed the miracle of the loaves and fish enough for all the hungry to be fed.

Jesus Christ’s miracle demonstrated, not only God’s great power, but also the power of love and sharing, the miracle of selfless generosity, of giving all, for feeding the hungry, for reaching out to the needy in our midst.

***

Email: [email protected]