Oct. 27, 2025

Beloved of God,

We’re heading into that time of year when tables are full, calendars are packed, and gratitude gets its annual spotlight. It’s the season of abundance – Thanksgiving dinners, church potlucks, cookie swaps, and all the trimmings. And thank God for that. Gathering around food and laughter is one of the sweetest ways we remember how good it is to be alive and to belong.

But it’s also a good time to take a second look. Because beginning November 1, more than 40 million Americans are expected to see their food assistance cut or lost entirely. That’s 40 million people, many of them children, seniors, and working families, trying to figure out how to make the next grocery run work, or how to keep the heat on and keep food on the table. And I suspect the effects of this policy will reverberate past this relatively short season of abundance when we feel most inclined to be generous.

It’s easy to turn that kind of news into a demonizing conversation about politics, but I think God invites us to reflect on a different question: Now that we know this, how will we respond? We should be advocates for policies that respect the dignity of every human being, but the Gospel also asks us to be the hands and feet of a Christ who meets his people directly in their suffering.

At St. Mary’s, we already do some wonderful things to feed people, and we see immediately how people benefit from them. But maybe this is the moment for us to level up. Instead of saying, “Well, we already do two feeding programs” and leave it at that, what if we got curious about what God might be asking of us next?

Because when SNAP benefits are cut, it’s not just about food. It’s about what happens when families must choose between groceries and rent, between medication and the electric bill. Hunger has a ripple effect that reaches far beyond the dinner table.

So maybe it’s time for us to listen – really listen – to one another and to our neighbors. To ask: Where is grace needed right now? What can we offer that makes love tangible? For some that might mean charitable giving, for others it may mean volunteering at food sourcing and distribution centers, while for still others it may mean building relationships within the communities most at risk to understand firsthand what they need.

I don’t have all the answers. But I do believe this: when we start asking questions like that, the Holy Spirit usually shows up – every single time.

If this stirs something in you, reach out to me. You don’t need to be on any committee to share your ideas or use your voice. Let’s talk. Let’s think and pray together. Let’s find out how God’s abundance might move through us in new ways this season.

Grace and peace,