Most Important Possession
If you had to pick your most important possession, what would it be?
No, people don’t count. I know they are more important than other physical possessions, so it’s a nice sentiment, sort of, but let’s agree people are not things. So, back to the problem.
What I am asking is not a general question. You have to own this thing. It has to be a possession of yours.
Of course we could debate the importance of our choices and attempt to win others to our side, but let’s not do this right now.
In some way this object is of highest value to us for it to have been selected. Perhaps it is priceless.
Do you know who might have the hardest time with this question?
The rich.
It might even be true, although I’m sure there are exceptions, that the greater the wealth, the more difficult the decision might be to make. So many choices.
Indecision over this question is also a problem and might reflect trouble making important decisions in daily life.
Let me conclude with this.
I know what my most valuable object is, and yet, there are times when I don’t treat it as being of high value at all.
And what does this have to do with the talk I told you about yesterday that I will give to a group of men at a retreat in two weeks?
It might be a question I ask them as an ice breaker. We’ll see.
Thanks for your prayers surrounding this event.
As a thank you, here is a great prayer I found when you are preparing to study. It was written in the 13th century.
Creator of all things,
true Source of light and wisdom,
lofty origin of all being,
graciously let a ray of Your brilliance
penetrate into the darkness of my understanding
and take from me the double darkness
in which I have been born,
an obscurity of both sin and ignorance.
Give me a sharp sense of understanding,
a retentive memory,
and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally.
Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations,
and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm.
Point out the beginning,
direct the progress,
and help in completion;
through Christ our Lord.Amen.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Wonderful prayer! Thank you.