Hunger
is the greatest of afflictions; the Aggregates of Being are the
principal source of suffering;If a man thoroughly understand this, he
has attained Nibbāna, Supreme Happiness.This religious instruction was
given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Āḷavi with reference
to a certain lay disciple.For one day, as the Teacher seated in the
Perfumed Chamber at Jetavana {3.262} surveyed the world at dawn, he
beheld a certain poor man at Āḷavi. Perceiving that he possessed the
faculties requisite for attaining the Fruit of Conversion, he surrounded
himself with a company of five hundred monks and went to Āḷavi.
The
inhabitants of Āḷavi straightway invited the Teacher to be their guest.
That poor man also heard that the Teacher had arrived and made up his
mind to go and hear the Teacher preach the Law. But that very [30.75]
day an ox of his strayed off. So he considered within himself, “Shall I
seek that ox, or shall I go and hear the Law?” And he came to the
following conclusion, “I will first seek that ox and then go and hear
the Law.” Accordingly, early in the morning, he set out to seek his
ox.The residents of Āḷavi provided seats for the Congregation of Monks
presided over by the Buddha, served them with food, and after the meal
took the Teacher’s bowl, that he might pronounce the words of
thanksgiving. Said the Teacher, “He for whose sake I came hither a
journey of thirty leagues has gone into the forest to seek his ox which
was lost. Not until he returns, will I preach the Law.” And he held his
peace.While it was still day, that poor man found his ox and straightway
drove the ox back to the herd. Then he thought to himself, “Even if I
can do nothing else, I will at least pay my respects to the Teacher.”
Accordingly, although he was oppressed with the pangs of hunger, he
decided not to go home, but went quickly to the Teacher, and having paid
obeisance to the Teacher, sat down respectfully on one side. When the
poor man came and stood before the Teacher, the Teacher said to the
steward of the alms, “Is there any food remaining over and above to the
Congregation of Monks?” “Reverend Sir, the food has not been touched.”
“Well then, serve this poor man with food.” So when the steward had
provided that poor man with a seat in a place indicated by the Teacher,
he served him dutifully with rice-porridge and other food, both hard and
soft. When the poor man had eaten his meal, he rinsed his mouth.(We are
told that with this single exception there is no other instance on
record in the Three Piṭakas {3.263} of the Tathāgata’s having thus
inquired about the supply of food.) As soon as the poor man’s physical
sufferings had been relieved, his mind became tranquil. Then the Teacher
preached the Law in orderly sequence, expounding one after another the
Four Noble Truths. At the conclusion of the lesson, the poor man was
established in the Fruit of Conversion. Then the Teacher pronounced the
words of thanksgiving, and having so done, arose from his seat and
departed. The multitude accompanied him a little way and then turned
back.The monks who accompanied the Teacher were highly indignant and
said, “Just consider, brethren, what the Teacher did. Nothing of the
sort ever happened before. But to-day, seeing a certain poor man, the
Teacher inquired about the supply of food and directed that food to be
given to another.” The Teacher turned around, stopped, [30.76] and said,
“Monks, what are you saying?” When he heard what they were saying, he
said to them, “It is even so, monks. When I came hither a journey of
thirty leagues, a long and difficult journey, my sole reason for coming
hither was the fact that I saw that this lay disciple possessed the
faculties requisite for the attainment of the Fruit of Conversion. Early
in the morning, oppressed with the pangs of hunger, this man went to
the forest and spent the day in the forest seeking his ox which was
lost. Therefore I thought to myself, ‘If I preach the Law to this man
while he is suffering from the pangs of hunger, he will not be able to
comprehend it.’ Therefore was it that I did what I did. Monks, there is
no affliction like the affliction of hunger.”

https://www.thedivinemercy.org/articles/feed-hungry

The
following is the first part of our seven-part Lenten series on the
corporal deeds of mercy and how we can - and should - incorporate them
into our lives.

Feed the HungryThe Corporal Works of Mercy:

� Feed the hungry.
� Give drink to the thirsty.
� Clothe the naked.
� Shelter the homeless.
� Comfort the sick.
� Bury the dead.
�
Comfort the imprisoned.Jesus said to St. Faustina: “… I demand from
you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to
show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink
from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it”