Excess


I am not exactly an end times prophet. I was raised with fire and brimstone preaching while scanning the skies for Jesus' imminent return, but I could never remember what meant what in the book of Revelation. I am just a watcher, maybe. That I can do.


Well, yesterday I was watching a program on the changes that the world faces as predicted by a computer generated model based on weather patterns. It was a little freaky. I don't remember much about the trumpets and seals, and prefer not to focus on them, but I do remember there is to be terrible weather and famine and death, essentially all the things that this program talked about. And, the sole factor for the weather changes-global warming.


Is it going to happen like that? Who really knows, but I look around me and see excess everywhere, and that is just in my life. We have food everywhere-the cupboards, the fridge, the garage. We have large comfy furniture that fills the small rooms. We have clothes that overflow in the closets and drawers. We have enough animals to have a petting zoo or a small farm. I have enough books to start a library. We both carry some extra pounds on the body. We have a car that drinks gas like some college students drink beer. I have more earrings than I wear. What is that about????


What are we insulating ourselves from? Fear of deprivation? I look at pictures of New Orleans, today, how long after Katrina, and am dumbfounded at how that is part of our nation. It isn't a foreign land or a third world country. It is in the continental US! There is so much that has not been rebuilt, so much need, still. But according to this TV program, there will be more Katrina's.


I don't have any answers here. But I find it discomforting that I chose my confirmation saint to be St. Clare of Assisi, who renounced her wealth as she slipped away in the middle of the night to follow Jesus. Have I renounced the world's values? Or have I just dressed them up and justified them? Like I said, no answers, but I need to think on the questions because someone from New Orleans or the Sudan or Indonesia may ask them, of me, later....

Comments

Me said…
Interesting stuff. Like I said, I'm no prophet (don't stone me), just someone with lots of questions.
Anonymous said…
Thank you, jaime. Keep exploring.

Popular posts from this blog

Christ in His Distressing Disguise

Blog Carnival-Seasons

Blog Carnival: Community