Second week of Lent | Feb. 28-Mar. 6 2010
Christian Simplicity Online at www.lent45.org
Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus – Living in Harmony with Creation, God and the Entire Human Family
Consumption Our Lenten practice in simplicity this week is to reconsider our relationship to stuff . .
Buying Less, Wasting Less
In order to survive, we must consume. “Jesus said to them: “Be on your guard against all kinds
But in the United States we are consuming of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance
of possessions.” – Luke 12:15
at an unsustainable pace, with damaging
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consequences for the well-being of people
and creation.
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What the Church is Saying
“Over a few short generations,” observes Alan Durning, “we in the
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affluent fifth of humanity have become car drivers, television watchers, 1. Consume Responsibly
mall shoppers, and throwaway buyers.” Often we fail to think about the “Human beings legitimately exercise a responsible stewardship over
damaging consequences of our lifestyle on God’s creation. nature, in order to protect it, to enjoy its fruits and to cultivate it in new
ways, with the assistance of advanced technologies, so that it can
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Many are becoming concerned about the prevalence of greed,
worthily accommodate and feed the world’s population. On this earth
selfishness and conspicuous consumption. These seem to be
there is room for everyone: here the entire human family must find the
crowding out meaningful family, community and spiritual values.
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resources to live with dignity, through the help of nature itself – God’s
The Bible has plenty to say about over-consuming and attachment gift to his children – and through hard work and creativity. At the same
to material resources. The 10th commandment is straightforward: time we must recognize our grave duty to hand the earth on to future
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“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.” And Jesus was often generations in such a condition that they too can worthily inhabit it and
blunt: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where continue to cultivate it.”
moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal.” – Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas In Veritate, 2009
(Matthew 6:19)
2. Consumerism Threatens God’s Creation
Christian simplicity is not frugality for the sake of penny-pinching “The brutal consumption of creation begins where God is not, where
or deprivation. Rather, it is a faith-based way of living that wants matter is henceforth only material for us, where we ourselves are the
to be more sustainable and responsible. As Christians, we want ultimate demand, where the whole is merely our property and we
to develop lifestyles that respect the limitations of our planetary consume it for ourselves alone…I think, therefore, that true and
resources and protect creation for our children. The hallmark of effective initiatives to prevent the waste and destruction of creation can
such a lifestyle is compassionate sharing and heartfelt contentment. be implemented and developed, understood and lived, only where
That is the abundant life which Jesus promised. creation is considered as beginning with God.”
– Pope Benedict XVI, 2008
3. Responsibility for the Common Good
Christian simplicity is “It is manifestly unjust that a privileged few should continue to
not frugality for the accumulate excess goods, squandering available resources, while
sake of penny-pinching masses of people are living in conditions of misery at the very lowest
or deprivation. Rather, it level of subsistence. Today, the dramatic threat of ecological breakdown
is teaching us the extent to which greed and selfishness – both individual
is a faith-based way of
and collective – are contrary to the order of creation, an order which is
living that wants to characterized by mutual interdependence.”
be more sustainable – Pope John Paul II, Peace with God the Creator,
Peace with All of Creation, 1990
and responsible.
Passionist Earth & Spirit Center online resources available at www.earthandspiritcenter.org Page 1
© Copyright 2010 by Passionist Earth & Spirit Center, Louisville, KY
Online at www.lent45.org
Christian Simplicity
FYI
The U.S. comprises 5% of the world’s population, but consumes
30% of the world’s goods. The average U.S. citizen:
• every day, consumes their body weight in natural resources
Action Steps • every week, uses the equivalent of 300 shopping bags of
natural resources for food, shelter, energy and transportation
Every item you possess came from somewhere on the planet. This Lent, • every year, generates 1640 pounds of trash – or 4.5 pounds
per day – that has to be dumped somewhere
practice Christian simplicity by setting purchasing limits that fit with your
values. Select products that are socially and environmentally responsible.
Clear the clutter from your home. Find contentment in a sense of
moderation and sharing. And hold in your heart those people who What to Buy? Where to Buy?
don’t have enough – enough food, enough water, enough of basic Buy local, organic and fair trade products. Use our online links to
life necessities.
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find information on products that help you live a more creation
Simple modifications in daily choices can help refocus your priorities friendly lifestyle.
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and begin a cultural change toward greater sustainability and justice. Buy in bulk – it saves money and keeps excess packaging out of landfills.
Ultimately, the fate of humanity and creation depend upon our level
Make you own cleaning products this week. Simple money-saving recipes
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of consumption.
for non-toxic, non-polluting all-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, and
From the suggestions, Check the box of the steps you can take this week. window cleaners are available online.
If There’s Only One Thing You Can Do … Trash
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U.S. consumers receive 19 billion catalogs each year. It Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. First, reduce your consumption. Then reuse
takes 53 million trees and 56 billion gallons of water to everything possible, and avoid disposable items such as paper towels,
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produce them, and most end up in landfills. Visit www. napkins and plates. Finally, learn how to recycle – experts say that
CatalogChoice.org to put a stop to unwanted catalogs. Less nearly 75% of our trash can be recycled, but we only recycle 25%.
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clutter in your mailbox means less pollution and less waste. Minimize waste by selecting items with the least amount of packaging.
Think before you print. Paper represents 70% of office waste. Print and
Avoid Unnecessary Consumption copy on both sides, set default margins wider, use recycled paper.
Give up shopping this week…except for necessities. And BYOB
(bring your own bag). Replace recreational shopping with meaningful
Sabbath time with your family. Steps Continued
Clean out your closet. Remove anything you have not used for two years.
Available online at www.Lent45.org
Eliminate impulse buying. Try the 30-day rule: wait 30 days after the first
time you decide you want to buy a product, then see if you need it. 1. Visit The New American Dream, a website dedicated
to help Americans consume responsibly to protect
the environment, enhance quality of life, and
promote social justice.
Prayer
2. Consult the Campaign for a Commercial-Free
Gracious God, you are the source of Childhood and learn to prevent manipulation of
all creation.Through the healing power children’s values by advertising. Read Brian
of Jesus you brought sight to the blind. Swimme’s essay on the religion of the ad.
Open our eyes to the pervasive
consumerism in this country. 3. Read “The Gospel of Consumption,” an article by
Free us from its grip so that we might Jeffrey Kaplan explaining how we got into this
enjoy the spiritual freedom of your consumer rat race.
children. Teach us to use the good
things of this Earth with moderation 4. Watch “The Story of Stuff,” a 20-minute video by
and compassion for those who do not Annie Leonard.
have enough. You are our hope. – Amen.
5. Organize your stuff with a step-by-step approach
created by GoGreen.org.
Imagine if the Earth were divided equally among all of us. Each person would receive 4.5 acres. Now imagine that everything you need – food, energy, home,
clothing, gadgets – must come from those 4.5 acres. But it takes 22.3 acres to maintain the average American lifestyle. There is a new way of observing Lent
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that helps us care for God’s creation by taking steps toward using only our fair share of its resources. Moving in the direction of 4.5 is essential for anyone
walking in the footsteps of Jesus today. Online at www.lent45.org