What Would Herod Do?

Thanksgiving should be a period of rest and reflection on our many blessings. Advent is one of those blessings, this year on the following Sunday. Advent heralds Christ's coming into our sinful world through the mystery of the incarnation. That great day in Bethlehem seemed like any other day to the majority of the town's inhabitants. Just about everyone missed it, except for some startled shepherds, and three wise astrologers. The angels were about the only ones who got it right, singing "Glory to God in the highest!" King Herod seemed to understand it too, but his understanding was motivated by evil, jealousy, hatred and obsession with power. The birth of the Messiah threatened Herod's sense of style, which depended on accumulating wealth, possessions and power to support his selfish and indulgent habits. We still see people like him today on the news and in our midst. His place in the Christmas story is a cautionary lesson.

I wonder if we get it right? We know and like the narrative. We believe in the Holy Child of Bethlehem. But we only practice that belief in a minimal sense. We tend to miss Christ at Christmas because we also love the story of consumerism, credit and purchasing power. Thousands of people in our community stayed up Thursday night to hit the stores in the pre-dawn hours in search of something special; the right gift at the right price to give to the right person who will undoubtedly feel a radiant love from our actions! One fellow actually camped out for two nights in freezing temperatures to be the first to enter an electronics store. He looked so proud on the news as he explained that he had also been first in a previous year. I can only guess the previous first-place purchase hadn't satisfied him.

Consumerism is a false religion that always fails to satisfy. There is no satisfaction because there will always be newer and better cars, computers, cameras, phones,and gadgets of all sorts. It is a rat race that results in frenzied shoppers lined up in the dark waiting for stores across the nation to open. They are looking for the almighty perfect deal witout realizing they must look in a lowly stable instead of a glitzy mall.

At Saint Joseph's School we urge everyone to examine their holiday habits and perhaps spend a little less money on glamorous gifts and give a little more time to family, worship, devotion, and charity. Consumerism appears to be the king of our culture. Jesus Christ is the King of Kings, period. I'm not one to keep score, but you might keep an eye on which king is getting more of your time, effort and adoration.