St.  Thomas Aquinas University Parish

BEFORE GOING SHOPING ON BLACK FRIDAY
FIRST READ FATHER'S HOMILY FROM FRIDAY

  Starting in another week we will enter into a new Season of Advent. Many people of our culture, even those who are Catholic, do not think of Advent as a great penitential season getting us ready, primarily spiritually for the birth of the Christ Child. Most think it's the Season of Christmas Shopping, a time of advertised induced compulsions to spend money in the name of generosity and gift-giving. It's consumerism and even materialism placed into the disguise of getting into the "spirit" of Christ's birthday. You're not off to a good start getting into the "spirit” of Christmas when this shopping madness starts off with the very ominous term, “Black Friday”! 

Don't get me wrong, I'll be buying some presents too. Buying gifts for others can honor Jesus, but only if we purchase items that would please Jesus, and only in the amount that would show us to be good stewards. And we also have to ask, are we doing anything that helps families that are suffering from job lay-offs, illness, or loss? 

In today's Gospel reading, we see Jesus throwing out the merchants from the outer grounds of the holy temple. Now these greedy merchants were not concerned about the holiness of the place and were only interested in making a buck, and in the process turned the "house of prayer” into a "den of thieves." But here is something to consider: Jesus' throwing them out, not only did this hurt their income, it also affected the shoppers who planned on buying what they "needed" to fulfill their religious obligations. Our Lord didn't care. A message had to be forcefully given to bring back the notion of holiness and proper worship. 

So, how obligated do you feel about buying gifts? ("Aunt Susie always sends me a $30 check for Christmas, so I have to get her something that costs $30, even though we forget about each other the rest of the year.") When we prayerfully select gifts as a gesture of love instead of an obligation, it's a gift that we give to Jesus, but over- shopping and building credit card debts that we cannot pay off immediately is no blessing to him and certainly not to us. 

What would Jesus recommend if he were to walk the store aisles with you? In fact, that's a very good piece of advice. Take Jesus shopping with you. Seriously, through the Holy Spirit your time spent shopping will be less stressful and I guarantee less expensive. Why? Well, first of all, Jesus is God, don't you think he knows where the deals are?! But secondly, our Lord will help us to be disciplined enough to stay within our means and to focus on what would truly be a worthwhile gift for another. 

-Now since you really don't want Jesus to tell you on Christmas Day, "You have made my birthday a holiday for thieves", then before making any purchase, think about the message that it might convey. Is it ethical? Helpful? A true expression of love? A gift you want to give to Jesus? Sometimes, what seems fun and harmless actually hurts Jesus. -For example, a woman who has a very good Catholic blog tells the story that when she was twelve years old, she received a Ouija board as a Christmas gift. This so-called game started her on a nine-year journey away from Christ. You see, even if you know better than to buy anything that is of the occult, still if you buy gifts, books, games, movies, what have you that do not give glory to God, then by giving such companies your money, you are supporting thieves. 

-Let us make a commitment to glorify God and only God with our Christmas shopping this year!