Advent 4b - conclusion

I read a New York Times article that said retailers are worried people are not keeping pace with what was a successful “Black Friday” start so they are running their Saturday before Christmas sales – the second biggest shopping day of the season – this Saturday. I never worry about how many Saturdays or shopping days are left until Christmas since I always wait until the eve of the season anyway. But while shopping I’m always reminded of the passionate sermon I preached one year against the material aspect of Christmas.  Jack Welty, who was a corporate manager for a retail chain, took me to task. He said he depended on the season – no matter what the reason – to provide not just for his family but all the families that depended on the sales he worked so hard to generate. He was right, of course. But then things are always more complicated than the simple solutions a preacher is tempted to offer in twelve minutes. The reason for the season understood that, which is why the “Black Friday” we call “Good” has nothing to do with sales.