Now it’s Cyber Monday

Scripture

The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
(John 1:14MSG)

Now it’s Cyber Monday

It feels like Black Friday is just an extension of Hallowe’en. I think it’s over but there have been ads in every sort of media non-stop for too long. On one hand deals on every sort of consumer good are on offer – “It’s our national duty to support the economy”. While on the other, food banks and housing advocates are pleading for attention. People in our country of affluence and conspicuous consumption can’t afford food and shelter.

This sort of cognitive dissonance isn’t just annoying, I feel like it is making us slightly mad, in every meaning of the word. We are mad to conspicuously consume while so many go without and there are many legitimately mad at the injustice of it all as they see couriers whizzing about with their deliveries while they can’t participate economically.

Yesterday the season of Advent began in many traditions (some traditions have begun already) – for many of us Advent isn’t part of our tradition. We used to open Advent calendars with kids getting a chocolate from behind the window. Now booze and other products feeding our consumer madness are on offer in so-called Advent calendars.

Maybe these weeks approaching the birth of the humble God, compassionate and self-emptying, and self-disciplined in power, might be a time for us to consider restraint of our indulgences and compassion for our world. I haven’t made any firm commitments myself but this week I’m asking the humble Jesus to give me wisdom to follow as he would like me to in this season remembering His becoming one of us.

A Prayer for Today

O God, while we hear about millions without water and power in Ukraine, and food banks are busy, sharpen us to be humble, grateful, and generous with what we have. It feels like there is so much coming our way that it is hard to have a healthy perspective on life. Grant us wisdom and self-discipline to see what you would have us see in the broken places of our world…. For Jesus’ sake