Consumed by Consumption

Consumption is the theme for today's Living Lent.

One of the challenges is to have two days a week without buying anything. This is not at all hard for me (apart from resisting buying a cup of coffee!) But it has made me think about consumption in a wider perspective. Of course there is much more to consumption/consumerism than shopping.

consumption (noun)

1. the act of consuming as by use, decay or destruction

2. Pathology.

       Older Use. tuberculosis of the lungs.

       progressive wasting of the body.

          Synonyms: depletion, exploitation, utilization 

'Consumption' once meant

a death sentence

if you suffered from it.

Maybe it is no different now.

If I consume

more than my share

you die.

But wait

that is different!

I’m the one

“suffering from consumption”

you are the one who dies.

If I am healed

from my consumption

I trust and pray

that will lead

to you living more fully.