Consumerism Is Alive and Well-In Me and Others-Advent 2019

Incredibly Black Friday shoppers spent $7.4 billion dollars online. On Cyber Monday holiday shoppers spent $9.4 billion dollars online (that was up almost 20% from last year).  From November 1st-December 2nd 2019, holiday shoppers have spent 81.5 billion dollars. People are not only buying more items, they are buying more expensive items.
Before I go on, I have to admit that I love to shop. I love to buy presents for other people and I also like buying things for myself. I also like giving stuff away, which I often do.
Having said that, it appears that Pope Francis' call in his Advent homily to "resist the dazzling lights of consumerism, which will shine everywhere this month, and believe that prayer and charity are not lost time, but the greatest treasures," will need more teachings.
He also said, "The meaning of life is not to accumulate." That, of course, is so true. But the bottom line is that, like me, a lot of people like to shop. Even spiritual/religious people, who believe they can (at least I think I can) be spiritual/religious and find time for prayer, Scripture study, volunteer work, Mass, spiritual reading and religious TV shows (as well as Netflix) and still find time to shop.
Am I defending shopping? Yes, I am.
Should faith-filled people spend more time in prayer, in worship, engaged in spiritual reading, bible study and doing good? Of course.
Can we all find a balance? I hope so, because people are not going to stop shopping, especially when Amazon makes it so easy and with one click the item or items are at your front door, the next day.
So as the world becomes more technological and more and more people shop online, people of faith can only hope and pray that people find space for God, time for prayer and for helping others.
Giving Tuesday, the movement described as the "biggest generosity movement of all time," is gaining traction and people are not only donating money but helping others and volunteering. So that's good news.
A Blessed Advent!
NJA