Hello Everyone! Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a great time.
It’s the final Tuesday for the month of November. That means it’s the final #GivingTuesdays post for November.
Now Let’s re cap shall we? So the first Tuesday was about giving of your time and talents within our parish community. The next topic was about donating your own personal goods to the less fortunate (and that the best giving is the sacrifice that can actually hurt). The third post is about donating money to the less fortunate and the various institutions that do it (chiefly our very own Catholic church).
Today’s focus is going to be on the concept of anti-consumerism. Basically, anti-consumerism is the idea that is opposed to consumerism, or the continual buying and consuming of material possessions. When we take the teachings of Christ into perspective, anti-consumerism is actually a good thing. As Americans living in one of the wealthiest countries on the planet we are financially well off in comparison to third world countries. Since America is where we live we typically tend to use our money to purchase goods. Now, purchasing goods to meet your needs is perfectly fine. But when you use your money to purchase goods just because you want them is where it may become an issue. Now, purchasing goods for a hobby is all good and well until it becomes more like an obsession. Or an obsession the becomes an addiction! As a FYI if your hobby becomes an obsession and/or addiction it actually places you in a state of mortal sin. Why? because this hobby to an obsession to an addiction has become central to you and God is no longer central. You might even say you are worshiping a false god! Do yourself a favor: every time you pull out cash or your debit card credit card or check book out of your wallet ask yourself if what you are about to purchase is a need or a want. your perspective on the world and money will certainly change. You should start to realize that money is merely a tool and not the be all end all of your daily existence. As such scripture reminds me of the parable of the rich fool:
“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest (in today’s world material goods people buy. E.G. phones,shoes, electronics, purses, clothes). He asked himself ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest(material goods). I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest eat drink be merry! But GOD said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong? And this is how it will be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to GOD – Luke 12:16-21.
So the message behind this scripture is that you should focus on being rich in what matters to GOD instead on focusing on your next lavish purchase. Tomorrow is never assured and you can bet that the things you treasured on earth are not coming with you in the afterlife.
But what does this have to do with thanksgiving and more specifically being a reason someone is thankful for you? You could definitely take the energy and money used to purchase these goods and instead focus them on serving the needs of the less fortunate. Remember GOD sees EVERYTHING you do!
“Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison and not minister to your needs” ‘Amen, I say to you , what you did not do for one of these least ones(the poor), you did not do for me.’ – Matthew 25:44-45.
For those of you who have read my articles I certainly hope you got a good idea on how to be a source of thanks for others instead of just being thankful. In this way you become an instrument of GOD and you just might end up evangelizing those lives you touch and invite them to know Jesus better in regards to Church he started…… our Catholic faith!
Until the next article: God bless you and have a wonderful CHRISTmas season
Well said Mr. Ron! Thank you for those words that all of us need to be reminded especially this coming Christmas when we can easily shift our focus on the true meaning of the season.