25 Thoughts on “A Christmas Carol” – December 7th

Happy Christmas Dear Readers,

“'I wish to be left alone,' said Scrooge. ’since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned-they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.'
'Many can't go there; and many would rather die.'
'If they would rather die,' said Scrooge, 'they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.’”

Scrooge is willing for others to die to protect his hard and solitary world. I wonder if we do not do the same with much more subtlety or ignorance. Each time we avert our eyes from the Salvation Army Kettle or ignore the homeless person looking for a meal we are doing the same. Who are we to put anything above the needs of our fellow man?

We do live in a world where humans created by God are viewed as “surplus population.” People are killed daily in the name of convenience. In Brazil’s large cities they hunt and kill homeless children and the government condones it privately for the sake of tourism. Genocide goes unchecked in countries whose names we cannot pronounce. Abortion clinics turn a profit as women decrease their private surplus population in the name of convenience.

We would never admit to this horrible attitude so we use euphemisms to keep the language to our liking. We cluck our tongues at large scale inhumanity while secretly being thankful that it is happening a on other continents or at least away from us. We all know people in need. We all can make a difference even if it is only minor. We cannot afford to continue to deceive ourselves into thinking that the responsibility lies with someone else.

Perhaps we need to ponder what our true duty is and realize what a selfish sentiment it is when we “wish to be left alone.” We are not self contained or solitary even if we profess to be so. No one is truly independent of others. Every man’s hunger, hurt, and need is my hunger, hurt, or need as well. “Every man’s death diminishes me” and I should take little comfort in the existence of social charities as I do not have the right to pawn off my obligations on them. Do we dare just drop a few pennies in the red kettle and continue on our way unchanged?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."