A reading from Psalm 1:
“Happy are those whose delight is in the law of the Lord… In all that they do, they prosper.”
In your opinion, what does it mean to live a rich life? Upon hearing the word, “rich” your mind may have immediately jumped to images of luxury cars, seaside mansions, or expensive clothing. However, while this is nothing inherently wrong with luxury, it is a narrow understanding of what it means to be rich or prosperous.
To be prosperous is to be rich in gratitude and generosity. While luxuries and money can certainly make life easier and, perhaps more enjoyable, they don’t guarantee a life of fulfillment and impact.
All the things we acquire in this world we will leave behind after our earthly life and will eventually fade away. But what can remain for a long time is the memories people have of you.
Think about it this way. Imagine you had the opportunity to witness your own funeral. What do you want your loved ones to say about you as they gather to remember your life. How much wealth have you’ve accumulated? The cars you owned throughout your life? The size of your house? The amount of money in your bank account? Or perhaps, how infectious your gratitude was and how insanely generous you were with your time and wealth? Which message do you think would have a lasting impact on the world?
I think it’s safe to say that how people remember us will have a greater impact than how much we accumulated? We want to be remembered not by what we took from the world, but how much we gave to it.
Let us pray,
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Lord, thank you for overseeing my life. Help me to keep track of all my blessings. Inspire me with the wisdom to prioritize my desires in my life. If I am blessed with wealth in my future, remind me to bless others with generosity. I know that everything that I acquire in this world is not mine. It is a borrowed gift that one day I will leave behind and will eventually pass away. I pray this in Your name.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
