John 21: 15-19 Hunger is a problem in the world and over the ages including today, but there are two types of hunger: the physical kind and the spiritual kind. Although different, there are some similarities. Suffering from physical hunger means lack of nourishment that can lead to first weakness then even death. Spiritual hunger is also caused by lack of nourishment for the soul that makes people weak in faith and can lead to the death of the soul. However, after the hungry person eats he becomes full, and begins to feel comfortable and satisfied. Spiritual hunger works in reverse. If we starve ourselves through lack of the nourishment from scripture, the Sacraments or prayer life we then become complacent, lethargic, and lose our appetite for spiritual things and the spiritual life. Unlike physical hunger, we become satisfied with a lack of nourishment and focus on ourselves only. We don’t realize that we are hungry and as a result get weak and risk spiritual death. When we find ourselves in a dry spiritual state we could go on a reverse diet. If we begin to force feed ourselves with Mass, the Sacraments, prayer, and studying the Gospel, we begin to get hungry for more, not less. In fact the more we feast the hungrier we get and we cannot get enough. As Secular Franciscans we know that we have St. Francis as our model. Francis followed in the footsteps of Jesus. By following the lead of Francis and bringing the Gospel to life and Life to the Gospel, we also are following Our Lord. Therefore, we need to become aware of our own spiritual hunger, the hunger of those close to us and of those we meet on the journey. So, continue to find ways to go and … feed the hungry through word and deed both physically and spiritually. POC. Bob, SFO (From the June "Canticle" of the St Francis Fraternity in Easton, Pa.)