What kind of day is this Friday for you?

The Day after Thanksgiving!  What type of day is this Friday for you?  What type of day should it be?  In just a few short hours after we rejoice in food, family and football, just 1 day after time set aside for reflection, rememberance and thanksgiving, this Friday has become something all together un-Thanksgiving like.  Let me explain.

It is only recent history that this Friday became "black"Friday.  It is also just recent history that this Friday has become the start of Christmas season.  Truth be told; black Friday now starts on Thanksgiving day itself and the Christmas season gets ushered in with the trick or treaters.   Now this is not a post to bask retail America or even those among us who actually enjoy the contact sport of competitive shopping.  More, I want this post to help us all reflect on who we are, what we've become and does it truly conform to God's will.

In the grand scheme of things, God probably does not care how you spend this Friday, anymore so than how you and I spend every day of our life.  What I am asking all of us to carefully consider is how can we flip a switch; those many switches in our lives that takes us from gratitude to greed, from care and concern to me first, from peace and reflection to anxiety and insanity?  The herculean effort MANY will make to shop til ya drop, in some cases including spending nights camped outside big box stores, how does this compare to our similar efforts to attend Mass, to embrace our faith, to simply draw closer to God?  Why do we have the need to do what others do; to follow the crowd; to take precious time from that which is really important to save a few bucks? 

I recognize that this time of year small businesses can make some important money and many individuals find much needed work or that necessary second job.  I guess I'll never understand, however, why this all has to happen in a day.  But if you find yourself working retail today, o if you happen to be one of those crazy shoppers, may peace be with you and don't forget to take God along for the ride.  Remember how you felt yesterday.  Remember what Thanksgiving really means.  Remember also that with the approach of Christmas, what are we truly celebrating?

What type of day is this for you?  I hope it is another great day that we live in thanksgiving; living our lives for God!