New kinds of food

Jesus would know just how you feel. Since He was a person like us, He knew what it was like to be hungry -- especially in this week's Gospel (Luke 4:1-13), when He hadn't eaten in 40 days! But Jesus also talked about different kinds of food -- kinds you don't eat.

Jesus went into the desert to pray for 40 days. He had no food, and He was hungry. The devil came and said, "If you're God, why don't you make the rocks into bread?" But Jesus wouldn't. "Bread isn't the only food," He said. "Listening to God is a kind of food, too!" The devil tried again. "I'll give you the whole world if you'll follow me," he said. Jesus answered, "God is the one people should follow." Finally, the devil took Jesus to the top of a building. "If you're God, jump," he said. "The angels will catch you." But Jesus told him, "Don't test God." Then the devil left Him alone.

Jesus probably had favorite foods, too. He knew lots of fishermen, so He must have eaten fish all the time. But in the Gospel story, He left all the foods He liked behind and went off to pray. He didn't want to think about food for a while -- just about God.

There are other kinds of food besides what you eat. If your teacher shows you something, she's "feeding" you new things that make you smart. When you pray, God "feeds" you good feelings.

Those were the kinds of food Jesus liked best. Even the devil couldn't make Him trade them for real food -- or for powers like being able to jump off a building and live. Jesus might have liked fish or candy -- but He liked God better!

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me see all the kinds of food around me! Amen.