Take and Eat

Shortly before the events leading to his crucifixion begin to unfold, we hear an incredibly beautiful prayer between Jesus and his Father.  At one point he says:

 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. (Jn 17:14-19)

This passage brings some complexity into the Christian life as we see a clear distinction between being in the world but not of the world.  Christ clearly asks his Father not to take his followers out of the world, but while they live in the world that they be kept safe from the evil one. 

These words can be used in an unhelpful way that fosters attitudes of judgmentalism, condescension, and arrogance from those who wish to create an impassable chasm between those who belong and those who do not.  On the other hand, it seems that the words of Christ can also be completely ignored to the point that some call for no distinction in how lives are lived. Living for the world? Fine. Living for heaven? Fine.  

Obviously, these two extremes are incredibly destructive as they neglect to actually live out the demands of discipleship expressed by Christ; yet, I don’t think that this is a new phenomenon.  As we look through the centuries, we can see Christians struggling with the same reality of living out Christ’s prayer that we be in the world, but not of the world.  The temptation to move between the poles of complete separation or complete assimilation can be strong, but each generation is still called to realize Christ’s prayer through living out their baptismal identities in the midst of a world. 

In order to avoid the extremes, I think that it is important that we look to the very end of Christ’s prayer in John 17 to see why this distinction between in and of is important.

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.  I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. (Jn 17:25-26)

We see at the conclusion of his prayer in John 17 a mission of Christ - to make known the name of his Father.  Christ longs that we know his Father.  Sharing in Christ’s divine life means that we need to know who we are spending eternity with, and who better to reveal the Father than His own Son.  The parables, the teachings, the miracles - they point to this desire to make known the Father.  

We can see the reality of being in but not of the world in relation to this as well.  The evil one, the devil, wants to distort our understanding of who we are and who God is.  The devil does not want us to be able to see God as our Father and tries to tempt us with whatever will lead us to solidify the idea that we are unlovable and beyond any hope of redemption.  

Christ’s prayer of in but not of shows a direct connection to avoiding these temptations.  His first words show this as he says, “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”  This means that to avoid being of the world, it is essential that we reject anything that could lead us to believe the same lie of the serpent.  

Our own generation of disciples, like every generation before us, has its own challenges unique to the cultural milieu in which we find ourselves.  We may not be in the midst of a global war or rebuilding Western civilization after the fall of Rome, but we will certainly find in our time the same tension of living in but not of the world while rejecting any temptation to see God and ourselves as anything other than who He and we truly are.  

While the temptations of our age are many, I wanted to focus on just one that seems to be deeply entrenched in our culture and has found its way into the everyday life of Christians to the point that we may not even realize that it is distorting our ability to know God and know ourselves in His love.  Today, I wanted to speak about Christian consumerism.

This temptation, especially for us in a wealthy country, may be obvious; however, I want to explore some ways that consumerism may be quietly distorting our experience of God to the point that our relationship with Him is no longer a heavenly banquet, but more akin to a value meal at a local fast food restaurant.  

Have it your way 

Oddly enough, I think that I have seen one version of Christian consumerism at a point in people’s lives where you would think consumption would no longer matter - that is, at funerals.  While I am sure that this can apply to weddings as well, I am often struck by how particular people can be around funerals.  No longer is the funeral liturgy meant to offer our sacrifice and prayers for the soul of the recently departed; now our Christian consumerism has convinced us that it is more important that the person’s favorite song is played or that a certain memory be mentioned during the homily.  I once observed a family member breakdown at the cemetery because the recently deceased was being buried in a brown casket - and he hated brown.  

I wonder if our fast food, “have it your way” mentality has affected how we understand and experience our faith.  As long as my church has the kind of music I like, preaching I like, and a comfortable space, then I can really feel like I’m praying.  To be clear - we should have the best music, the best preaching, and beautiful environments in which we worship God, but oftentimes I think for many it boils down to having our needs met and treating the pastor like a cruise ship captain who ought to constantly be at the ready to address our every need.  

The core of much of this stems from leaning too much into our culture’s radical individuality.  We focus primarily on our own wants and needs at the expense of the community.  We see this in an aesthetic way in our parishes, but also in the attitudes that lead people to ignore the genuine health concerns of others. The simple expectation to wear a mask and keep some distance from others has been met by some with a ferocious display of “have it your way” mentality.  The infantile cries of individualism seem all the more juvenile as you show that the only god you came to worship at Mass is yourself. 

I’m lovin’ it

With television, YouTube, and the large number of paid streaming services, the amount of content that we can consume is extraordinary.  Everything that we see online is vying for our attention:  advertisements and shows that will do almost anything to get your eyes focused on their product or latest series for even just a brief moment in order to create the spark of interest in buying more or continuing your subscription.  

I think that Christian consumerism can do much of the same thing.  We see more and more books published, new formation videos released, and it seems like almost everyone is running their own podcast.  To be clear - I am not knocking the creation of content - obviously, the knowHis.love project falls right into this category of content creation. I do, however, believe that if we want to be in the world and not of the world that we need to carefully examine how and why we create content.  The temptation of Christian consumerism comes not only with the attitude in which the content is created, but also the attitude in which it is consumed.  

Are we creating out of a genuine desire to help others come to grow closer to God or do we find ourselves churning out new content in order to garner more attention, clicks, likes, and shares.  In other words, through our work, are we making known the name of the Father or our own name? 

Is my primary focus financial or do I see my work as a service to those who encounter it?

Is my creation actually leading to the fulfillment of Christ’s prayer that “they may be one” or does my work foster discord and deepen fractures within the Church?

Recognizing how we can either align with or stray from Christ’s prayer of how we are to be in but not of the world can greatly affect the content we create.  

As I said, the temptation of Christian consumerism can not only affect the creation of content, but also the consumption of it.  This section can be a bit tricky, so I will try to write with great clarity.  

Going to conferences to deepen your faith can be good. 

Going on retreats can be good. 

Reading spiritual insights from the saints can be good.

Listening to music and podcasts and watching shows and movies tethered to the reality of God’s love can be good.

I think that we have to be aware that we can easily give into the temptation of Christian consumerism while doing these things.  

Because there is so much good content available to us, we can treat these things like an endless buffet, constantly moving from one topic to the next, consuming, consuming, and consuming even more.  The danger comes when it becomes more about the process of consuming than about actually having a relationship with God.

We can read a book, go to a conference, or watch a show and be left feeling intellectually satisfied, but we have to ask ourselves, am I focused more on the intellectual stimulation rather than the relationship with God that this new knowledge could lead me towards?

Am I doing the “heavy lifting” that the saints and scholars have already done in preparing their content or am I content with a passive role - always consuming, but never growing.  

We can convince ourselves that, because we are consuming worthwhile content, that this somehow equates to being close to the heart of God.  The temptation arises if we become satisfied knowing about God rather than using the content to come to know God as He has revealed Himself and deepen our relationship with Him.  

It’s easier to have a relationship with an idea, but it is fundamentally more challenging and yet rewarding to have a relationship with a person - or in our case, a Trinity of persons.  

You are what you eat

Ultimately, Christ explicitly tells us what and how we are to consume.  He wants us to consume him.  This is my body. This is my blood.  With these words he helps us avoid the dangers of Christian consumerism in both its creation and reception because we realize that everything we make and everything we take in ought to be pointing us to the gift of the Eucharist - the gift of Christ himself.  

He wants us to receive all of him - his body and blood, soul and divinity.  

When we see our lives and what we make and consume though this Eucharistic lens, we can more fully enter into his prayer in John 17.  We can truly be in but not of the world because what we consume - who we consume -  is transforming us to be like himself.  His prayer in John 17, through the Eucharist, can become our prayer.  As we yearn to make known the name of our Father, and create and receive in such a way that “they may all be one.”