Pop-Up Catechesis: The Eucharist and What We Crave

Researchers tell us that the majority of us experience regular cravings for specific foods. It’s important to remember, however, that hunger and cravings are not synonymous. The former is driven by the body, while the latter is driven by the mind. Hunger seeks to satisfy a physical need; a craving seeks to satisfy an emotional one. That’s why cravings are not limited to food.

Cravings seek to fulfill a sense of incompleteness. While hunger is utilitarian (for survival), cravings are for satisfaction: to fill a fundamental lack, flaw, or sense of inadequacy. Typically, our attempts to fulfill these cravings result in temporary satisfaction. Our faith tells us that, at our deepest level, we are incapable of satisfying such cravings and that God alone completes us.