Start:Stop at St Stephen Walbrook enables busy people to start their day by stopping to reflect. Ten minute reflections are repeated on the quarter hour, from 7.45am until 9.00am every Tuesday morning, beginning with a reading from scripture, followed by a reflection based on an event from this week in history, with space for silence and prayer. You can hear a recording of this week’s reflection at the link above.

Last week we were invited to begin the observance of a Holy Lent through the study of the scriptures, prayer and fasting – which, following Jesus’s example in the desert, is usually interpreted as abstaining from certain foods. 

With a history of eating disorders amongst members of my close family, and my own at times less than healthy relationship with food, for me, fasting is always one of the most challenging aspects of Lent. I was surprised to learn that, for a religion whose central act of worship is based around a shared meal, the realtionship between Christians and food throughout history has been similarly complex. 

Find out more in this week’s Start:Stop reflection.