“Some of us have suffered from recession all our lives.” We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose Too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns But we’ve discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning We’ve learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose As you know, there is a growing disrespect for government and for churches and for schools, the news media, and other institutions This is not a message of happiness or rea**urance, but it is the truth and it is a warning