Be Free From Obsession With Consumption

Living a Responsible Lent – Caring for our Common Home – Week 3

“Christian spirituality … encourages a prophetic and contemplative lifestyle, one capable of deep enjoyment free of the obsession with consumption.”  Pope Francis – Laudato Si 222

Pope Francis tells us in Chapter 3 of “Caring for our Common Home” that the gifts of science and technology “can produce important means of improving the quality of life”.  This is tremendous responsibility which has given “those with the knowledge, and especially the economic resources to use them, an impressive dominance over the whole of humanity and the entire world.”  In the quest to increase the bottom line on our balance sheets, we cannot forget that everything, even our next breath, is given to us by God.  We are a society of those who desire more, bigger, better but in doing so, are we careful of the resources we use and the people who suffer in our quest to have more things and earn more money?  Have we forgotten that the resources provided by our earth are not limitless?   In our effort to fill our lives with things, have we forgotten to fill our lives with God?  Have we forgotten that Jesus commanded us to love one another and care for one another?  Have we forgotten God?  We have so many choices from which to choose when shopping.  It is easy to think we need all of the things we see when in reality, many of the things we purchase are wants and not needs.  They often pull us further from relationship with God.  Let’s take time this week to thank God for each and every person we encounter, each breath we take, each item we use and for the earth – our common home.

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