Excerpt from Psalm 62

"...if riches increase, do not set your heart on them."

Reflection by Christina Villa

If you have not had a significant financial loss in recent months, then you probably know someone who has.  Whether you've had to sell the Lexus or apply for food stamps, you've been driven to it by a downgrade in your financial status.  And that's never fun, no matter what tax bracket you're in.  It means letting things go, giving things up.  That's OK for Lent, but not OK when there's no end in sight and you don't get to choose what to give up.

At the beginning of the recession, there was talk in churches and elsewhere about how this might prove to be a time of spiritual renewal for people, and perhaps for congregations. I don't hear so much about that anymore.  Because this isn't a spiritual exercise; it's reality. Many of us have spent years with our hearts set on riches increasing.  We could afford to experiment with the idea of deprivation, to consider the spiritual benefits of living with less—all this without ever getting a car repossessed or a line of credit yanked out from under us, suddenly limiting our options.

The significant spiritual effect of the recession, for the comfortable middle class, may turn out to be the experience of limited options—not just fewer possessions, but also fewer choices; not just less money, but also less autonomy. Is there any grace to be gained in giving things up and letting things go—even when it's not by choice?

Prayer

God, give us the grace to accept what we cannot change.  Amen.

About the Author Christina Villa is on the staff of the United Church of Christ in Cleveland, Ohio.