Once upon a
time, a very
rich man feeling
dissatisfied
with himself was
walking down the
street uncertain
of what to do.
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He had a
beautiful and
elegant home in
a posh
neighbourhood of
the big city.
His wife and two
children only
gave him joy. He
owned an
important
business he had
received as his
father's
heritage after
he had gone to
the other world.
Rodolfo had
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everything! He
lacked nothing! |
But then why did
he feel so
miserable, as if
life meant
nothing?
In fact, his
great wealth
meant nothing to
him. He wanted
to be free and
not have to work
and run the
business or
worry about it!
He wished he
could go all
over the world
aimlessly and
without cares.
And Rodolfo
thought:
- Ah... How nice
it would be to
be able to live
without having
to do anything
or think about
how to use the
money I earn!
Living here
today, tomorrow
somewhere else,
eating anything
we found or that
someone gave us!
It would be
lovely! Only
then I would
have peace!... I
would die
happily when my
time came!...
So, still
thinking,
Rodolfo walked
down a street
and saw a
religious temple.
He had no
interest in
religion, but at
that moment he
decided to enter.
The door was
open and someone
invited him in.
He did go in. It
was a small room
where some
people were
listening to a
lecture. And the
speaker was
talking exactly
about wealth and
said:
- The attachment
to earthly goods
is the strongest
obstacle to
moral and
spiritual
progress for
humankind. Due
to their
affection to
riches, human
beings destroy
their capacity
to love because
they only seek
material things.
Hearing those
words, Rodolfo
understood that
he was right and
that his
problems, by
virtue of the
assets he owned,
were an obstacle
for him to reach
heaven. Thus,
decisively,
Rodolfo got up
and left that
house of prayer
certain that he
should free
himself from all
his worldly
possessions to
be truly happy.
He donated all
his wealth to
charity and,
sure that his
family would
agree with him,
left nothing to
his loved ones.
When he got home,
Rodolfo told his
wife what he had
done:
- Honey, I
distributed all
of our wealth to
the poor. I
believe that we
will be happier
this way.
Not
understanding
the reasons of
her husband, she
lost interest in
him. Before long,
his children
knowing they
were poor
because their
father had
distributed all
their wealth,
and deeply
revolted, moved
to another city
with their
mother, seeking
the help of her
family, and
deserting their
father.
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Now alone, sad
and depressed by
the loss of his
family, Rodolfo
bitterly lacked
everything; to
eat, he resorted
to a charity
that gave soup
to the poor; to
shower and sleep,
he stayed at a
hostel; lacking
warm clothing
and without
resources, he
got sick.
At that point in
his life, he
sought again
that House of
Prayer where he
had heard the
words that led
him to radically
change his
existence. Upon
entering, he
found the
speaker he had
heard that
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day. |
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- Welcome, my
brother! How can
we help you?
With tears in
his eyes,
Rodolfo told his
story, keeping
nothing from the
man who treated
him with great
kindness and
goodness. After
listening to him,
the man shook
his head with
pity:
- My brother,
you got it all
wrong! You did
not listen until
the end my talk.
Actually, wealth
is negative for
those who only
see money and
nothing else.
Wealth is a
blessing because
with it we can
help people and
aid them in
their needs and,
being generous,
we will feel
happier! Money
is a blessing
for all those
who use it with
discretion,
create jobs and
help families!
We can be the
generous hand
that distributes
blessings to
those who need
bread, clothes,
medicine,
education,
guidance.
Rodolfo, hearing
those words,
cried and
repeated:
- So I did it
all wrong! I did
everything
wrong! What do I
do now?
Full of pity,
the new friend
considered:
- My brother,
trust in God!
The Father wants
the best for His
children. You
will have
another chance
to repair the
damage you did
to your family
and yourself.
When we receive
the obligation
to work with
money, it is
that we must
learn to manage
it the best way
possible, for
the benefit of
all. Think about
it!
Rodolfo thanked
the attention of
his new friend
who offered:
- My brother,
here at the back
we have a small
room where you
can stay and
learn how to
give of yourself
through the
labour of love
to our brothers
and sisters.
Rodolfo gladly
accepted and,
from that day on
he worked with
love for the
needy, now
donating himself
through
kindness.
He learned a lot
and a few years
later he was
reunited with
his family, and
asked them for
forgiveness for
leaving them
destitute. But
he heard from
his wife the
understanding
words which set
him free:
- Rodolfo, at
first we were
very angry at
you. However,
the lack of
resources made
us seek the
means to survive.
Thus, both
myself and our
children
succeeded
through work and
today, managing
a commercial
store, we feel
happy and more
fulfilled
because we work
to get our money.
- So you have
already forgiven
me? - he asked.
- We have
nothing to
forgive,
Rodolfo! Our
children today
are graduated;
one is a doctor
and the other an
engineer. They
work and have
families.
- Thank God! You
took a great
weight off of my
shoulders, dear.
They embraced
and understood
that their love
had not ended
but changed for
the better. At
that moment,
they said a
prayer thanking
Jesus for
helping them to
become better
people through
those
difficulties.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
09/03/2015.)
