Thinking of our global family

While we indulge at Christmas, others starve.

Christmas is well and truly upon us, as we get set for the showers of food, gifts and relaxation time that most of us will enjoy over the coming days. After all the hype and stressful shopping of the past few weeks, it will come as a welcome relief to finally sit down and enjoy the days ahead.

And so we should – it's rare in these days of rushing and running around that we find the time for the important things in life, like sharing quality home cooked food with our families and loved ones. This is what Christmas should be all about, Christian or otherwise- taking time out to reflect, to give thanks and to ponder the past, present and future.

This time for reflection often helps us to spare a thought for the less well off in our communities, nationally and globally. While many of us donate food or money to local charities such as St. Vincent De Paul or global ones like Concern, few realise the link between our wealth and our comfort, and the despair, hunger and destruction suffered by much of the world.

Of course, praying, fundraising and reflection may go some way towards alleviating this horrific situation, but nothing is more urgent than a radical realisation that the increase in wealth and material comfort enjoyed by many of us comes at a terrible price.

Nobody can deny that Ireland has done its fair share of sitting at the poor man's table. Our days of hunger, emigration and war are hopefully over. However, this should not mean that we can forget the reasons for our painful past. History is repeating itself from Africa to Asia.

Countries rich in gold, copper, oil, forests and fish, such as Ghana and Papua New Guinea, are being forced to exploit and export their enormous wealth in order to pay unjust and illegal debts to the wealthy west, the west which we now belong to.

So while there is plenty of wealth in many of the poorer countries, much of it ends up in the hands of corrupt leaders and their supporters in western governments, banks and companies. The result is the hunger, disease, human rights abuses and environmental destruction that we read about on a daily basis.

Feeling guilt and shame about this is pointless. Action is what makes a difference and action starts at home. It isn't just about voting for honest and accountable politicians, it is about how we spend our money and on what. It is about how we respond to the pressures to buy, be branded, spend and become indebted. It's about the relationship between giving and taking, greed and need. It is about the packaging, paper, glass and plastic that some of us will send to the soaring toxic landfills, while bypassing the recycling centre on the way.

It is about the way we think, act and live. Action starts with realising that it's you and me that make things the way they are and it's you and me who have the power to change them.

So, when tucking into your turkey, as part of the one third of the world that is overfed, remember that it's no coincidence that another third is underfed. Surely, realising this and resolving to do something about it is more to do with the true meaning of Christmas than the relentless pursuit of money, material wealth and over indulgence.

By: Ruairí McKiernan