Christmas shopping may never be the same again, thanks to Pope Benedict’s encyclical, Caritas in veritate. Issued to mark the an­niversary of Pope Paul VI’s great social encycli­cal, Populorum Progessio, Caritas in veritate tackles a number of social and justice issues for our time. When the Pope says, “Purchasing is always a moral—and not simply economic—act,“ he has just insinuated himself into our Christmas shopping adventures. He’s accom­panied by none less a figure than John the Baptist, as well as the great prophets of the Old Testament who, during our Advent prepara­tion time, call us to justice, soli­darity and com­munion with each other—especially the poorest and the weakest.

So with these giants in tow, how are we to get our Christmas shopping done? On the Third Sunday of Advent (by which time most of us dream of having finished our Christmas shopping!), the Baptist roars: “If anyone has two coats, let him give one to the one who has none.” That principle probably applies across the board. If anyone has two toys … two dresses … two houses .... two cars … two computers … Suddenly shopping just got a lot harder because the Baptist points out that what we own is a measure of our ability to live in right relation­ships. Caritas in veritate raises some interest­ing questions: How much do we really need? What are the consequences of our consuming in the global economic order? Who suffers so that we can have too much? Do shopping and gifting perpetuate a culture of acquisition, in which built-in obsolescence (AKAlast year’s style) sends us running in search of more, new and different—if not better?

“Purchasing is always a moral—and not simply economic—act.” With Benedict’s words graven in memory, we can’t just rush out to the mall, or turn on the Shopping Channel, or browse a favourite online shopping site. Between my credit card and me, the Pope has thrown up a stumbling block. What will make this purchase a “moral act”?

Benedict invites us to stop and think of the big picture—rather like the pictures that the prophets paint throughout the season. Embedded at the heart of the encyclical is a vision of human beings and of human dignity that refuses to reduce human beings to cogs in an economic machine, or to accept the inevi­tability of our current economic systems that are often profoundly dehumanizing. Benedict calls us to recognize that we are all part of a single whole; everything we do (and buy) af­fects others, somewhere in the world. He raises particular concerns about how the most vul­nerable members of the human community are affected by the practices of those of us in the developed world. And since the Christmas season is a time when our buying reaches a frenzy, it makes sense that we learn to reflect on the morality of our purchases during this season so that we have developed the habit for the rest of the year.

How? First, let’s initiate the conversation. Each year, more and more people observe that “Christmas is just getting out of hand”: too much buying, too many parties, too many de­mands. It doesn’t have to—we can change it. Why not raise the issue in Advent homilies? Choices about purchasing and keeping excess in check are easier when they are made in a sup­portive community of the shared values that underpin ethical purchasing: authentic fra­ternity, promoting the good of every person, the unconditional value of the human person, and the development of the whole person that are central to the Christian view of the human person. Both the production and the purchase of goods need to reflect these values.

Let’s commit to fair trade, whether it’s in coffee, chocolate or goods coming from devel­oping countries. The fair trade label assures us that the workers who produce these products are treated justly, and that the environment is treated properly as well.

If we can’t commit to fair trade products in every instance, let’s start asking important questions about the products we purchase: Who made it? Under what conditions? What is the impact of the production of this product on the environment? What will be the impact when we’ve finished with this product? This is of particular importance in regard to the disposal of electronics, which often is carried out in dangerous conditions by poor people in far-away places.

Instead of listing things to buy, let’s list things to give away. The Baptist doesn’t sug­gest that we give one coat away so we can replace it with another because we can afford it (that simply promotes consumption). As we exam­ine Christmas lists, let’s ask the all-important question: Do I need this? Let’s help each other distinguish between our needs and our wants—a distinction that is irrelevant to much of the human family, whose basic needs are not be­ing met. Families can make these lists together, using the exercise as an opportunity to deepen their Advent spirituality, and bring it to bear on purchases year-round. Neither John’s message nor Benedict’s is restricted to the Christmas season!

Finally, let’s reawaken the sense of gift that lies at the heart of the Christmas mystery: God giving the divine self to us, freely, in the person of Jesus Christ. It is this gift of self, no-strings-attached, that our Christmas giving tries to imi­tate. As we choose gifts for our loved ones, let us also give the gifts of justice and dignity to all our sisters and brothers in the global com­munity.

editor.celebrate@novalis.ca