The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
We are still in the season of Christmas. During this time, I find myself reflecting on shopping, sales, and consumerism that have become a part of this holiday. In many ways, it seems that the spirit of consumerism supersedes the spirit of Christmas, even trying to make them the same. Perhaps unbeknownst to us, consumerism has become a form of spirituality. The rituals and practices are shopping. The holy days (or weeks) are sales. The temple/church is the store whether physical or online. The market is seen as an idol that acts and controls the world in the way that it wants. We attain spiritual highs when we get something new and lows when that feeling wears off. Virtue comes in the forms of finding the best deals, the things we have, and wealth. Since we do need things like food to live, shopping isn’t entirely bad. However, through consumerism during this time of year, it’s easy to get caught up in getting what we don’t need, in trying to find our worth in stuff, and feeding our spiritual lives with material objects. Fortunately, today’s readings can help us redirect our attention and love to God, the one who has loved us the most.
In the first reading, St. John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” (1 John 2:15). He directed the recipients of his letter and us to not love the things of this world so that we focus on and love who remains: God. God’s love is so deep that God wanted to be with us on earth. Christmas is the celebration of that love through the birth of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel gives us an example of a person, Anna, who loved God and not the things of this world. Her love for and hope in God led her to persevere in waiting patiently for the Messiah and to recognize him when he came to the Temple. She found nourishment and all she needed in God. We won’t live exactly like Anna, but we can take on her spirit of gratitude in finding Jesus in our lives and discovering our joy in God.
I’d like to close with a quote from Pope Benedict XVI. I hope that it helps you continue to carry the joy of Christmas at this time and the rest of the year.
“The things of God can wait, we think and we say. And yet he is the most important thing, ultimately the one truly important thing. Why should we not also be moved by curiosity to see more closely and to know what God has said to us? At this hour, let us ask him to touch our hearts with the holy curiosity and the holy joy of the shepherds, and thus let us go over joyfully to Bethlehem, to the Lord who today once more comes to meet us. Amen.”
Pope Benedict XVI, Christmas 2012
-Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI