I don’t think it’s an accident that we use soup at our Lenten suppers. Soup is endlessly forgiving. If extra people happen to stop by, it can be stretched and an extra place can be set at the table. If you’re short on cash, soup is a good way to eschew expensive ingredients like meat or spread them over more meals.
During Lent, we examine ourselves, choosing to pull back from excess and feasting. We are called to soup. This is a good time to think about people in our communities who make soup to stretch their dollars, who aren’t thinking about bisques and fancy mushrooms, but about how they will feed their families, to sustain them for the days ahead.
While soup can be stretched, it’s also true that people who are stretched often take comfort in soup. Over Lenten soup, we sit with and remember those who inhabit the “soup kitchens” of the world. Hopefully, our memory moments will build on each other, and move us to action. Taking time to serve others during Lent can bring new meaning to the idea of a “soup kitchen.”
This message is excerpted from “Soup’s on!” by Cara Strickland in the March 2019 Gather magazine. Today we commemorate Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, 604.
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