Thirty-First Thursday in Ordinary Time

But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Everything in this world is a loss, except those things that lead us closer to God. We might be surrounded by worldly treasures and pleasures, but all of them are empty when compared to the spiritual treasures and pleasures we can gain through a holy, loving, and faithful life. The supreme good of our lives is coming to know, love, and serve our Heavenly Father through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is this good that we should constantly strive for in this life so we might magnify the Lord and rejoice in our Savior just as his most faithful servants did in their lives.

How can we detach ourselves from worldly things and see them all as a loss? What can we do to live our lives in accord with the supreme good of knowing, loving, and serving God? Are we willing to sacrifice the world so we might gain heaven?

O Lord, you are the source of all spiritual gain. Grant us the supreme good of knowing, loving, and serving you.

Amen.