The real Purpose of Earthly Wealth

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season : 31st Week : Saturday*

*Gospel : Lk 16:9-15*

*First Reading : Phil 4:10-19*

*The real Purpose of Earthly Wealth*

*1) Eternal Benefit / Eternal life*

Wealth is the Gift of God. Every sort of wealth comes from God. The real source of Wealth is God 

Since every wealth comes from God, it has a specific purpose. The purpose is, it should help a person to achieve the final purpose of His/Her life. 

The final purpose is - Eternal Life

So ultimately Wealth Should help us in attaining the eternal reward or Eternal life 

*2) Ways through which one can achieve eternal life by using the God given wealth*

The Gospel gives us the several ways. They are the following

*A) Make Friends through the Wealth*

The Gospel says, we should use the wealth to build a healthy relationship and friendship with others 

In order to build such a friendship one should do the following things 

Need to share ones wealth with others 

Need to help others, when they are in needs 

Need to remain humble and need to be compassionate towards others 

Need to use the wealth for good purpose and not for evil purpose 

When one helps the other with the wealth one has, he can create a lot of good friends around Him 

*B) Trustworthiness*

This word comes in the context of, earthly wealth 

One should use the  trustworthy ways to make wealth and to spend the wealth 

Therefore the Gospel says about trustworthiness in small things and big things 

So trustworthiness is an attitude of life. It is a way of living ones life. So when a person is trustworthy, use of the wealth also will be according to just ways 

*C) Use of the wealth as a servant and not as a Master*

When, wealth becomes a master, it will dictate us and we have to obey according to its command 

When wealth becomes a master, it will control us and we can't control it 

So treat the wealth as servant. When wealth is a servant it can listen to you and one can control it as one wants 

*3) No one can take wealth*

Whatever may be the worth of the wealth, one can't take wealth when one departs from this earth 

Only the fruit of the wealth one can take. Good use of the wealth will create a good fruit and evil ways of using ones wealth will create evil things 

So ultimately we take good or bad from the use of the wealth and not wealth as such 

*4) Various types wealth we have*

Material wealth, which includes money, gold, ornaments, property, etc

Power, position, influence and authority

Knowledge, skills, talents, shrewdness

Public speaking, organising abilities etc 

All the skills which we have 

These  above things belong to the wealth which we posses in our life 

*5) How do I use my wealth?*

Definitely I am gifted with lots of wealth 

How do I use it? 

Is it for my selfish purpose? Or doing some service or reaching out to others? 

How do I feel at the end of the day about my wealth? Happy, sad or guilty? 

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*