The Friday AFTER Thanksgiving

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Today is Black Friday, which, more than any other day in American culture celebrates consumerism, and pressures us to buy and gives the reassurance that buying, for its own sake, is good. The stress of gift-buying can distract from our celebration of welcoming Christ into the world.

Jesus condemned the selling of goods within the temple area because it distracted from the temple’s intended purpose: prayer. As we transition from a day devoted to gratitude into the Advent season, let us strive to untangle our lives from the clutter of advertising and materialism. Let us purify our hearts to seek Christ and his teachings and to will peace and God’s presence to all we encounter this season.

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