| " I came so that they might have life and have it more | | | | also tells us God's kingdom isn't like that. We can't |
| abundantly" | | | | work our way to heaven, because we can't do |
| (John 10:10b) | | | | anything to make ourselves right with God. The only |
| | | | one who can do that is God's perfect Son Jesus. |
| The divine feasts, as narrated both in the Old and New | | | | When we believe that He died in order to forgive our |
| testaments, speak always of abundance of food and | | | | sins, we agree with God on the subject, and our |
| drink. Nobody gets hungry at the table prepared by | | | | eternal destination becomes heaven. God gives us the |
| God. God wants to share totally his abundance with | | | | gift for doing nothing more than trusting in Him. |
| us, as he told the older son in the parable of the | | | | So today, instead of spending time catching up on the |
| Prodigal Son. | | | | office work, why not trust in God? Spend time in |
| But then, how many times we prefer to live in hunger | | | | worship, not work, and instead of trying to enter |
| than avail of this abundance! The story of the Prodigal | | | | heaven on your own credit, you'll arrive there safely on |
| Son could be the life of anyone of us. When we enjoy | | | | your trust in Jesus. |
| good health, when our business runs good and our | | | | We should end our day in prayer reaffirming that the |
| banks accounts are full of savings, we easily forget | | | | goal of human life is to be with God. Our dream of |
| about God. We only return to him, like the Prodigal Son, | | | | quality life is not brought about the riches or material |
| when everything goes wrong. In returning to him, we | | | | possession alone. We dream of living free from |
| dream only of recovering what we lost, not | | | | sickness and death. Only God can give this. |
| understanding that the most important treasure is God | | | | A good practice also is to meditate constantly on the |
| himself. God gives abundantly because he gives | | | | Holy Bible. Keep this Book of the law on your lips. |
| himself. If we lose him, we lose everything. | | | | Recite it day and night, that you may observe carefully |
| How many holy people spent their lives in the most | | | | all that is written in it; then you will attain your goal. |
| abject misery and poverty, yet they still exuded | | | | The well being brought by earthly riches pales in |
| immense joy for the presence of God in their hearts. | | | | comparison to the happiness of heaven. The apostle |
| Poverty with God is better than prosperity without him. | | | | Paul, who had a first-hand experience of heaven, |
| You probably don't work for free -you need money to | | | | spoke of it as happiness beyond words and |
| live on, pay the rent with and save money for a rainy | | | | imagination: "This man...was taken up to Paradise |
| day. The Bible recognizes that a valuable worker | | | | where he heard word that cannot be told: things which |
| deserves fair recompense. | | | | humans cannot express". |
| Though the Bible recognizes the need to earn a living, it | | | | |