Self-Knowledge as Key to Wealth

Inspired by Mark 6:34-44 when Jesus Feeds Five Thousand Men:

When I read this gospel, I got perplexed. Here, you could see the disciples urging Jesus to send the people away so they can buy food for themselves. Jesus replied, "You yourselves give them something to eat." Then the disciples answered in what I can imagine as some sort of a protest..." If we are to give them food, we must go and buy two hundred silver coins' worth of bread." This was a way of saying, 'Lord, it is not within our budget.' I can recall so many times answering that way when urged or inspired by God to do something. But what is His answer to this?

"You have some loaves: how many? Go and see." Only then did the disciples found that they have five loaves and two fishes.

Then what did Jesus do... he asked for the five loaves and two fishes. He took these, raised His eyes to heaven, pronounced a blessing broke the loaves and handed them for distribution. The same was done with the fishes. It fed five thousand men and gave a leftover of twelve baskets.

From what little resources the disciples had, Jesus blessed and made plenty. The essence of His miracle is not simply confined to the mere fact that He provided because He knows fully well that He can do that. But what He wants to stress is that we have to participate in the miracle; we have a role to play and He blesses what meager resources we have to make it more than enough. The abundance starts from within us, not externally. It is already inherent in us. What do I have? That is what God is asking. Whatever little I have is worth sharing. But first I need to discover what I have: my talents, my treasures, my skills, the works of my hands... Self-knowledge is essential to a life of abundance. We only need to offer what little we have to Him and He can bless it and multiply it. That is how He asks us to deal with the material world. If I have nothing to offer, He has nothing to bless and multiply.

We seek for an abundant life and He is pointing out that the answer is within us. How wrongly we pray. We ask that He give us the two hundred silver coins so we can buy the bread when we should actually ask ourselves, 'what do I have?' Because with our five loaves and two fishes, He can bless and multiply not only to provide for a "just enough" life but to a "more than enough" life for all people. What we have inside us will not only make our own life rich and wealthy when we start sharing it but it will also enrich other people's lives. Jesus is not referring to spiritual enrichment... He is actually referring to material enrichment, tangible and real.

The Real Financial Planner MD

I have created this blog to teach others what I have learned about financial planning. What I soon realized is that Jesus is the real teacher and the Gospel contains the basic tenets of financial planning. With this realization, I have resolved that starting this year, I shall devote this blog to financial planning the scriptural way. It shall still have the same title but now hold a more significant meaning and content.

What made me stumble upon this realization was the gospel reading of January 4, 2009 commemorating the Epiphany or Three Kings. I asked Jesus this question after reading the gospel during my morning prayer:

'You were offered gold, frankincense and myrrh so I concluded that your family must have gotten rich from such precious gifts. However, when the time of your presentation to the temple occured, Mother Mary and St. Joseph was only able to offer two doves or two pigeons indicating that your family cannot afford to offer a lamb. What happened to your wealth?'

I was surprised that the Lord took effort to answer this question that was left unanswered through the priest who gave the homily on the Sunday mass that we attended. "The gold, frankincense and myrrh were meant to provide for the Holy Family when they fled Bethlehem and went to Egypt to escape Herod's wrath. It was also used to finance their trip to Nazareth upon Herod's death."

'So contrary to what authors would believe, Your family is not really wealthy,' I told the Lord.

And He answered: "Real wealth is wealth that suffices the needs of the body, mind and soul. Mere financial freedom is not real wealth unless you live a truly meaningful and fulfilling life... a life that answered to the call from within. Wealth comes freely and easily as I need it. I can summon the fish to open its mouth and provide me with coins. I can fill the net with an abundant catch. Wealth in the material sense is subject to me. But it is not what I have come for. I have a higher call. (So do you). These are mere instruments under my disposal. But I do not need to possess these. My detachment is my real freedom. I can freely come and go. I am focused. I know why I am on earth. Doing my Father's will is my fulfillment. My life is offered for all so that all may be saved. I have come so you may have life and have it to the full... have it abundantly. Come and follow me. Inspire others to follow me so they may also experience the fullness of life."