General News
10 August, 2025
In good faith
‘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?’ (Ps. 49:5, 6).
Isn’t it unsettling, when we see others who have so much, only getting more, while our own share of the pie seems to be getting smaller – or at least, staying the same.
Or maybe you think along different lines: Forgetting about other people, maybe you think ‘will I have enough for myself?’
Do you worry about such things?
Psalm 49 has a very brief but significant message for us in the midst of this: Don’t worry about it!
Why? Because Jesus said ‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away’ (Mat. 13:31).
St. John tells us that in the life of the world to come, ‘There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away’ (Rev. 21:4).
All that will be left at the end of time, will be God and His people.
Psalm 49 says ‘For all can see that the wise die’ and ‘People, despite their wealth, do not endure’ (Ps. 49:10, 12).
Even if others are successful and prosperous and wealthy, what will it gain them in the end? Absolutely nothing!
But even more important, is this: ‘God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; He will surely take me to Himself’ (Ps. 49:15, 16).
Only one man could pay a ransom for sin and death. And how was that ransom paid?
Let’s let St. Peter answer: ‘For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect’ (I Pet. 1:18, 19).
Forget what others have! Christ Jesus is our greatest and most precious possession.
Whoever has Christ has more than the world can possibly give, a gift of greater value than all the gold and precious stones ever mined!
Remember, when you are tempted to gain wealth and possessions to keep up with the Joneses, or even when you’re worried about not having enough, to see in Christ Jesus your highest and most precious possession – just as we are His highest and most precious possession.
He died for you so that you might have the riches of eternal life with Him in heaven forever. Can any earthly riches do the same?
Contributed by LUCAS MATUSCHKA