***
One of my favorite hobbies used to be cooking. I’d have the chance to be creative every so often.
But due to social distancing, I’ve cooked everyday…for the last five weeks. What was once a hobby has started to feel like a chore.
God bless all those working moms and dads who come home after a long day’s work to prepare dinner for their kids. It’s a lot of work.
How I wish I could go back in time and thank my own mother for all the cooking she did for me.
***
One of the interesting things I find with recipes is the fact that nearly every one of them calls for a pinch of salt.
Not a gallon. But a pinch. A little salt goes a long way.
***
In the Gospel, a large crowd of people are following Jesus. And like all of us at the end of a long day, they’re hungry. Somebody needs to feed them.
So Jesus turns to Philip and Andrew asking, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Andrew says.
Nobody considered this poor boy’s feelings. Does he want to offer his food? Thankfully Andrew doesn’t think it’s worth much anyways.
What this boy has to offer, it seems, is simply not enough.
Yet Jesus takes these five loaves and two fish and multiplies them until everyone is satisfied.
***
How often we feel like this little boy. What we have to offer doesn’t seem to be enough. Whether we’re short on money, energy, or time.
But Jesus shows us that even the smallest offering can make a world of difference, much like a pinch of salt.
A weekly offering at church; a phone call to a friend; a sincere prayer; picking up groceries for a neighbor.
These small acts of love go a long way, especially while everyone feels stressed and cooped up at home.
***
A pinch of salt doesn’t seem like much. Nor do five loaves and two fish. But Jesus makes a little go a long way.
The same is true with love. Just a pinch of it makes a world of difference.
How, then, might we offer a pinch of love to a neighbor, a spouse, or a friend today?