How to Get Rich Quick

By The Rev. Canon Kathleen Kelly, Canon Evangelist
Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento, California

Written for the Sacramento News and Review

Most of us will at least scan any article with a title like this one. Getting rich sounds like the path to a good life, so the quicker the better! It might surprise you to know that Jesus had some advice about how to get “rich.” Well, sort of. Jesus had his own idea about what it is to have “the good life.” You may know a story from the Bible about a wealthy man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit “eternal life.” We jump to the conclusion that he was asking about heaven, but that’s not really what the text implies. In the original language, the text uses a word that means life with no beginning and no end. The wealthy man was not asking about some heavenly reward that might come later; he was asking how he could tap into the good life right now, the life that has been since before time, the life that sustains this world. Jesus had a simple reply: he told the wealthy man to give away all his wealth to the poor. Jesus taught that we tap into the “richness” of life, the goodness of being, not by hording, but by giving. Anyone who wants to follow Bible fundamentals should start by giving everything away.

You might wonder how that leads to good life. Jesus wanted us all to experience that we are engineered to be agents of compassion. When we fulfill that design plan, we experience joy beyond any thrill of buying or having. A compassionate society brings heaven to earth. A society with ample parks, well-stocked libraries, accessible health clinics and good schools makes us all rich. By giving to make such things happen, we all get rich quick.

This week we celebrate the life of one Saint who followed Jesus’ teaching about wealth fully, Saint Francis. Francis was born into wealth, and he gave it all away to the poor, vowing a simple life. He never felt poor, however, because he delighted in the wealth of creation. Francis is known for his love and compassion toward all creation, especially animals. In his honor, Trinity Cathedral will hold a Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 8th at 3:00 PM. All are welcome to come and celebrate the richness of life shared with all this earth’s creatures.

The Rev. Canon Kathleen Kelly
Canon Evangelist
October, 2006