Throw-away culture vs. Share-it culture! Pope’s Christmas Message: Choose Charity over Consumerism!
CHOOSE PRAYER & CHARITY OVER CONSUMERISM, ‘Share-it Culture over Throw-away Culture’, is Pope’s message for this Advent and coming Christmas! Houses full of things, but empty of children, when you live for things, things are never enough, greed grows and others become obstacles in the race and so you end up feeling threatened, dissatisfied, angry and fight.
Too many goods, not good works
Consumerism goes on saying non-stiop: “I want more, I want more, I want more”, resulting in the accumulation of too many goods in the house with no good works for others” – yes house filled with too many unwanted things preventing even inmates to move about freely, what is worse leaving no space for a guest to come into that house!
Consumerism begets conflict!
A logical after-effect of consumerism is conflict. Conflicts are fuelled by those who get rich through unethical means like selling weapons to kill and eliminate, Pope said. And which are the top nations in the world which sell arms to get rich? Which are the political, religious and financial forces in India which spread deadly weapons to promote killings to eliminate your rivals and competitors to get rich fast? Which are those forces in Kerala who promote such terrorism to get rich?
War Lords in India and abroad!
You know them all, don't you? I don't name them! They are political, religious, cultural and business groups, all worshipers of the MAMMON of iniquity. Run away from them, at least keep them at a distance as a preparation for the advent of JESUS whose birth we are preparing to celebrate on 25th, this month, is what Francis thirsts for!
Resist glare of Selfishness!
Francis goes on to insist: “Resist the dazzling lights of consumption, which will shine everywhere this month, and believe that prayer and charity are not lost time, but the greatest treasures,” in his Advent message Dec. 1. “This is the drama of today: houses full of things, but empty of children,” due to preference for pleasure over birth pain, or as Chesterton describes birth control as “No birth no control”, promoting crass selfishness. Result? “Consumerism reigns supreme even in families of just two only without children!”.
Share-it-culture, Remedy
Any doubt about it? None! Point out one tangible, visible proof hogging the lime light, if any! So Francis instantly points to his stern opposition to the comfortable class, rich nations led by US to all sorts of immigration of the poor crossing the Mexican wall for fear they may have to stop their throw-away culture to substitute it with the “share-it-culture” (Recall Regan’s dripping theory due to overflow of the rich man’s cup always growing bigger) with the Lazaruses waiting with bated breath for any ‘crumb’ — not falling from but thrown away from the High table of the ‘Dives’ the world’s richest man.
Selfishness Personified!
This Rich man would rather throw away, rather than help quench the biting hunger of a poor LAZAR – Himalayan personification of SELFISHNESS and simultaneous identification of Francis’ thinking the thoughts of JESUS! Still any doubt, that Jesus and Francis THINK AND ACT ALIKE in giving leadership to the Jesus community, call it the CHURCH if you like, though Jesus never used that word?
Francis no Heretic!
So beware of criticizing and saying Francis is a heretic leading the Church away from Jesus! He is Not – Francis is treading the same path traced by Jesus, the WAY, with the motto: ‘a poor church for the poor’. Follow FRANCIS and you follow JESUS who described himself as the ‘WAY’ the true PATH and all will be fine!
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