“For as
in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same
function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members
one of another.” Rom. 12:4-5
About a month ago, we took the plunge and became members—of
Costco, that is. As our boys are
growing, we’re seeing skyrocketing cereal and soap consumption. There happens to be one of those behemoths of
a store not far off Allison’s route from the rectory to Catholic
University. I’ll admit to being at least
moderately enthusiastic about the project.
That night we were having a dozen churchwardens over for Friday dinner,
those half-salmons were excellent for the money. I do like the samples on the ends of the
aisles. And when you need a bale of
paper towels…
But it still seems strange to think of myself as a Costco member. I’m happy to be a customer,
maybe even, in time, a loyal customer.
But for me, membership should suggest something more existential or
transcendent. My association with Costco
is purely transactional. I don’t feel
that I belong to Costco, that the institution somehow depends on my
loyalty. It’s silly to imagine that the
institution would be diminished should I forget to repay my annual fee at the
proper time (though I’m sure they will be much more insistent about tracking
down that sum than any church stewardship committee I’ve ever known).
