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Gary G. Hoag
“Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world, both low and high, rich and poor alike: My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle: Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?”— Psalm 49:1-6
"What zeal people put into their earthly affairs: dreaming of honors, striving for riches, bent on sensuality. Men and women, rich and poor, old and middle—aged and young and even children: all of them the same.
When you and I put the same zeal into the affairs of our souls, we will have a living and operative faith: and there will be no obstacle that we cannot overcome in our apostolic undertakings."
Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975) in The Way, reading #317.
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Psalm 49 teaches that people who have riches without understanding are like the beasts that perish.
Riches cannot save you, satisfy you, or give you the security you long for. Only God can. It's a message for all the people of the world, rich and poor, men and women, old and young.
Notice how Josemaría echos this truth.
He summarizes the patterns that surface in people around the world, whether they claim to follow Jesus or not. They give themselves to earthly dreams, getting rich, and enjoying sensual pleasures.
The alternative to this worldly living points the way to abundant life. Hear it again.
"When you and I put the same zeal into the affairs of our souls, we will have a living and operative faith: and there will be no obstacle that we cannot overcome in our apostolic undertakings."
In plain terms, this means when you put your zeal into the things God cares about — the affairs of our souls (that is the spiritual life and the physical and not just physical pleasures) — you will have a living and operative faith.
And there will be no obstacle you cannot overcome in your apostolic undertakings.
I think will you appear like a beautiful flower in a barren field.
Today I fly from Denver to Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany en route to Central Asia. Thanks for your prayers for me as I take light to dark places.
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