Which would you say is preferable (just choose one): 20 years of good solid teaching/preaching about the Catholic Faith or 20 years of Holy Communion but no preaching? The answer may surprise you. Good preaching comes first otherwise we would not know what - WHO - we are receiving. Did Jesus give His followers His Body and Blood at the start of His preaching or at the end? Even after 3 years of daily living among His disciples and teaching them, even then many could not accept His greatest teaching on His greatest gift to us. “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” (Jn 6:60)

Consider suffering as a mystery, something that we will never fully understand in this world. Charles Rich assures us that "God could take all your troubles away instantly, but you wouldn’t have God. The condition for having God is the troubles!”

Suffering, the "Cross," is a part of everyone's life. Finding meaning and purpose in your life and thus in your suffering makes all the difference. Meaningless suffering is despair. Jesus Himself tells us repeatedly that to be His followers we must "take up our cross daily."

Charles Rich quote: "You have a cross. You mistake your cross for a problem, so you try to solve it. But it can’t be solved. That is your problem!” (from "Give Me Your Heart" edited by Ronda Chervin).

Carl Jung quote: “Mental illness is the foundation of the avoidance of true suffering.” In other words go ahead and make efforts to solve your problems but understand that not all can be solved. Some are "sufferings that can't be avoided," and "crosses that can't be solved" but instead must be lived with and accepted. If we do this God can and will bring greater good out of whatever causes us suffering and pain.

And "Joy is the inner delight of knowing I am loved by God," Saw this quote on a board at the Franciscan Friary I attend and was struck by its simplicity and truth. (April 8, 2019)

In this episode of True Wealth, Dave Basconi and guest Louise Walkup discuss the Prodigal Son. (April 1, 2019)

We are created to know, love, and serve God and neighbor. Thus our work, our labor in God's harvest, will never be done here on earth! Our true "retirement" is reserved solely for Heaven, where we will finally achieve pure beatitude for all eternity. With that in mind, the cessation of one job or career is the invitation to begin another, making all our labors, from early youth to our golden years, for the Glory of God. (March 25, 2019)

In this episode of True Wealth, hosts Dave Basconi and Maria Smith talk about pleasing people. (March 18, 2019)

In this episode of True Wealth, Dave Basconi and Maria Smith introduce their program. (March 11, 2019)