“When people were hungry, Jesus didn’t say, “Now is that political, or social?” He said, “I feed you.” Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.”

                                                                  Desmond Tutu

There can only be one Christian response to hunger. If we who claim to be disciples of the Christ allow ourselves to be sidetracked by any consideration other than the need for food we are failing the one we follow.

There are some who see hunger as an opportunity to evangelize, using the need for food to lure or bait the hungry into hearing their message of God’s love. Feeding the hungry for them is a means to an end. The hungry are fed in order that they might “hear the good news and get saved.”

As Bishop TuTu states, bread is the gospel to the hungry. Any attempt to use bread to proselitize is not only misguided but is theologically unacceptable. There is something terribly lacking in our understanding of God’s love if we feel we are doing good by using another’s need to get them to believe as we do.

The Christian response to hunger is to provide bread. That is the good news.