First Week in November
We are often given the impression we are running out of things. Scarcity, that which we work so hard to prevent, is here. For some of us it is only a fear that there is not enough. For some of us it is a reality. When we are right, and there is not enough, when scarcity has truly befallen us, we face immense trials and challenges because of it.
Scarcity simply exists and it causes tremendous pain for those of us trying to overcome it in our daily lives. There is no supernatural cause for scarcity; there is no romance to poverty. Those of us in the world who are impacted by prolonged scarcity are not willing participants in a life of lack, not advocates for suffering, or martyrs for a larger cause. We are affected by circumstance; a circumstance that, if things happened differently, could have befallen you.
The fortunate among us will never experience true scarcity. The unfortunate among us will experience scarcity in regards to self worth, family support, proper housing, health, nutrition, clothing, and safety. It exists in both the external world and the internal world. A scarcity of nutritious food is as real as a scarcity of hope. Both are dehumanizing and both are deadly.
Treat scarcity by recognizing it when you see it; provide a thoughtful remedy to it. You may not remove the scarcity from the lives of the people you help, but then again you may. At the very least, your contribution tips the scales of abundance. Be thoughtful in your actions. Give what is helpful. Do what you can.
Humanist Liturgy 