12/11/14- Spirit of Consumerism

12/11 Scripture: “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Matthew 2:9-12)

One of the most overwhelming spirits we encounter this time of year is consumerism.  We are not just to buy things but to consume them. We need bigger, shiner, newer and always MORE!  We are encouraged to eat everything in sight, to buy as much as we can, to decorate every inch of space. The excess and waste is incredible. While around the globe people perish for lack of necessities we are fed a mantra that just because something attracts us for a moment we MUST have it.

I have always wondered about how Mary and Joseph must have received the magi and their gifts. These men were offering them a fortune! And they were truly poor. In Luke they give most meager offering the law allowed at Jesus’ birth. And yet here all their wildest dreams are coming true. They have literally won the lottery and can change their lives. But these gifts quickly became a lifeline. Most scholars think they provided the funds for the Holy Family to flee to Egypt. Jesus grew up as the son of a poor carpenter.

In a world that is all about “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” what does it say that our Lord chose to be poor? His priority was His relationship with His heavenly Father and with other people. He came not to serve but to be served and give His life as a ransom for many. The Holy Spirit can teach us to put others first and to resist the siren songs of our culture. And what blessings will follow as we learn to be content with what we have and truly enjoy life rather than exhausting ourselves seeking more.

Prayer:  Dear Jesus, help me to discern between what I want and what I need. Send your Spirit into my heart to teach me to resist greed and temptation and to serve others.

Application: Consider buying some gifts from fair trade cooperatives (they give poor people fair prices for goods like coffee, jewelry and art pieces). Or consider an alternative Christmas gift such as a gift to a charity.