Live your faith

In the Catholic Social Teaching Section we looked at the idea of see, act, judge as a way to be more aware of being Catholic in our every day lives.

Photo by Caleb Gregoryon UnsplashAs a family try working through some of these ideas below.

See

When do you start your preparations for Christmas?
How do you prepare? (Is it frenzied, calm, too busy, what is your focus?)
How much money will you spend this Christmas on others and yourself?

What sacrifices do people make at Christmas?
(Think about the word sacrifice - give up for the sake of others.)
Make a list of what makes Christmas special for you?
(What does this list say about you as a person and as a family?)
What pressures do we each find ourselves under at Christmas?

Judge
Think about this quote from Matt:20-16
“The first will be last and the last will be first”

How much will we put ourselves first this Christmas?
(What I want, what I need, my wish list, what makes me happy?)

Now look at this quote from the Wall Street Journal

“Money is an article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and is a universal provider of everything except happiness.”

How important is money at Christmas?
Do the things that brings the most enjoyment and give you the best memories cost the most?
Most of the presents at Christmas are not made in New Zealand, so who benefits from this and who loses from it?

(Think about working situations and conditions of people in other countries, the people unemployed in New Zealand, the pollution caused by production, shipping and waste ...)

Act