Comfort food is usually described as food with a high sugar or carbohydrate content, and which gives a sense of well-being. Maybe it’s because I’m a food-loving Italian, but my own definition of comfort food has a broader definition. To me, just about any kind of food can qualify as comfort food. (Except for bitter broccoli raab and anything that has mayonnaise in it or on top of it. Even a food-loving Italian has her limitations.)
After all, regardless of which food is being consumed, the mere act of eating satisfies hunger and gratifies the senses. Eating makes one feel contented and cared-for. No wonder that meals are so often brought to those who are suffering or in mourning. Jesus Himself, after His death and resurrection, prepared breakfast for apostles who were still grieving for their Master:
When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” (John 21: 9 – 12)
Jesus’ action was an expression of both love and solace, given to some who knew Him intimately. The apostles knew that Jesus had risen from the dead; this was now the third time Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. Yet they missed Jesus’ company and were overjoyed to see Him again, as was evidenced by Peter’s rash behavior:
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. (John 21: 7)
The apostles obviously did not need to be evangelized; after all, as the first bishops of the Church, their very mission was to bring others to Christ. But their beloved Jesus was no longer in their midst, and they needed comfort. What better way to receive it than through a meal of bread and fish shared with their dear Master?
Evangelization does not have to be an introduction to the faith; it can simply be a reminder of God’s love and providence at a time when someone may be feeling forsaken. Mother Teresa said that, “Before we share the gospel with the poor, this is what we must do: we must first satisfy the needs of the body, so we can then bring them Christ.”
If the gospel is a message of love, and the poor are simply those whose are experiencing a poverty of fortitude, then satisfying the needs of the body can be a powerful means of evangelization. When we carry a tuna casserole to a neighbor who has lost his spouse, or deliver a pot of chili to a friend who has been laid off, we are doing more than meeting a bodily need for sustenance; we are providing comfort that both fills the stomach and opens the heart.
I have a friend named Ron who is devoted to his younger sister. Unmarried and now in his mid-fifties, Ron has spent his life caring for Laurie, who has Down syndrome. Two years ago Laurie was removed from Ron’s home by a social services agency. Since then, Ron’s days have been a nightmarish montage of court battles, false accusations, stress-related health problems, and financial hardship caused by legal and hospital expenses.
Recently, when Ron returned from a hospital stay, he asked if I would make him some dinner. I did, and since then, I’ve been delivering meals a couple of times a week.
To be honest, it’s a very small effort on my part. There is always a portion for Ron to be had from the extra-large meals I prepare for my family, and delivering food to Ron is no trouble at all since he lives close by. In better days, Ron himself actively evangelized for the Faith, and he has all his life been as dedicated a follower of Our Lord as any of Jesus’ apostles.
Like the apostles, Ron has experienced loss; like them, he needs to be consoled and heartened. Ron says that he has been helped by what he calls my “lasagna ministry.” On some days I bring him some nice, stodgy casserole; on other days I can manage only a store-bought loaf of bread and a package of deli ham; on rare occasions I’ll bring him something tasty and labor-intensive. But to Ron, every bit of food that he receives is comfort food; every meal, a breakfast on the shore.
Is someone you know going through tough times? Put on your apron and start evangelizing!
Copyright © 2013, Celeste Behe
Celeste Behe
Celeste Behe is a storyteller and sometime humorist who, according to one book author, "writes like Garrison Keillor would, if he were Catholic and had nine kids." She is also a contributor to Faith & Family magazine, the National Catholic Register, and the Integrated Catholic Life, and she blogs at A Perpetual Jubilee. As a designated Toastmaster, Celeste entertains audiences with both nostalgic tales of her childhood in the Bronx, and modern-day tales of adventure that could only be told by the mother of nine. Celeste's memoir--cum-cookbook, Nine Kids, No Dishwasher: A Celebration of Life, Love, and Table, is a work in progress.
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