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Why spend money on what is not bread, your wages on what fails to satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and you will have good things to eat and rich food to enjoy. Pay attention, come to me, listen, and your soul will live.  Isaiah 55:2-3

From Climate Stewards website comes this reflection on fasting from consumerism: 
“As we get older I find I have done most of my consuming! I did my flying around when we didn’t realise how bad it was for the planet. I have now accumulated most of the things I want and find I am trying to dispose of a lot of stuff. In fact, it gets quite difficult to think of something I would like for a birthday present. I think one of the biggest challenges is letting go of the accumulated wealth and “stuff” of a lifetime lived in a secure and prosperous country. Jesus tells us not to store things up that are perishable, but the challenge is to dispose of it in ways that are constructive and responsible. Rather than just throwing stuff “away” (there is no “away”) we need to take time to repurpose, recycle or just find a new owner for the accumulated possessions of a lifetime. So, for those of us who have already acquired a lot, the challenge this week is to get rid of it responsibly. Time to go and rummage in the storeroom, garage, loft!”

If, you find yourself thinking you already have enough (or too much) stuff, look at what you already own; can you find a new use or a new owner for it?

Why?  Our collective societal appetite for new things drives wasteful practices and significantly contributes to climate change. Jesus was someone who lived with few possessions, focussing instead on receiving his joy and pleasure from God and community. Together, let’s turn our focus to gratitude for what we already have, while reducing our carbon emissions. Read more in this National Geographic article. 

Through this Lent St. Stephen’s invites you to join a Carbon Fast.  It can be downloaded here: https://www.kairoscanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/SUS-CJ-KAIROS_CarbonFast_SingleSheets_WEB.pdf

 This week we are encouraged to look at waste footprint.  Recycle, donate instead of throwing away, reduce single use plastic, look at this video with your family “The Story of Stuff” at https://www.storyofstuff.org/
Advocacy: petition local grocery stores to reduce excess packaging

Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for your creativity, and for the vastness and complexity displayed in creation. We pray that you would renew our minds and reshape our hearts to care for the earth that you have so graciously and lovingly made. 

We confess we have failed as stewards of creation. We pray you would help us protect the ocean from further harm and restore what we have damaged. Bring innovative ideas to our minds to help creation heal and shift our focus from self-centeredness to the fruitfulness of all creation.
Amen.

Photo by the blowup on Unsplash