“There is nothing new except what has been forgotten.” (Marie Antoinette), and thus “Men more often require to be reminded than informed.” (Samuel Johnson) The purpose of Daily Riches is to return again and again to a list of critical concepts at the core of the spiritual life. “Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you [may] already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught.” (2 Peter 1:12) 

My goal is to point out precious riches for the soul – to combine key Scripture texts with insights from others of various religious traditions – mostly Christian. Each page is designed to be resources for a “daily office” (times with God), and in that spirit, the reader is encouraged to take several moments of silence before reading – so as first to be aware of God’s presence, and then to take a moment of prayer at the end, before moving on to the next concern of the day, letting some thought from the meditation go with you into the day. The reader is encouraged to read slowly, to meditate on words and phrases, and to wait on and look to God with the expectation of hearing from him. The emphasis is on learning, but learning a better experience of God rather than learning how to explain him better. Thinking about Jesus is not the same as being with Jesus. My prayer then, for myself and for you, dear reader, is that with the help of these “riches”, we move from merely thinking about Jesus to “being with” him more and more – each day, in every moment, in every situation, and in every relationship. I believe this is the most hopeful approach to personal transformation, and for bringing meaningful change to our world.

Thanks for your interest and any feedback that you give, and thanks for sharing my blog with others!    Bill

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“I don’t believe that God is a fussy faultfinder in dealing with theological ideas. He who provides forgiveness for a sinful life will also surely be a generous judge of theological reflections. Even an orthodox theologian can be spiritually dead, while perhaps a heretic crawls on forbidden bypaths to the sources of life.” – Helmut Thielicke, A Little Exercise for Young Theologians 

“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against.” (Malcolm X)  I love these words of Malcolm X , but I don’t agree with everything he’s said, written or done. The same is true for those who show up on the pages of Daily Riches. Eventually, writers and teachers from many diverse backgrounds will make an appearance here, and I offer their insights to you without any kind of vetting for “orthodoxy.” Sometimes we learn the most from those with whom we differ, and to turn only to those who are always right or reliable would eliminate everyone. My working assumption in Daily Riches is that the spirit of God will lead you into the truth. So I hope you’ll read, seeking to have your “truth” challenged, critiqued, and improved – and that a priori you’ll be for the truth no matter who tells it. That’s difficult but always worth the effort.

“There grows in me an immense dissatisfaction with all that is merely passively accepted as truth, without struggle and without examination. Faith, surely, is not passive, and not an evasion. And today, more than ever, the things we believe, I mean especially the things we accept on human faith—reported matters of ‘fact,’ questions of history, of policy, of interpretation, of wants—they should be very few.” Thomas Merton

“If I dare, in these few words, to ask you some direct and personal questions, it is because I address them as much to myself as to you. It is because I am still able to hope that a civil exchange of ideas can take place between two persons — that we have not yet reached the stage where we are all hermetically sealed, each one in the collective arrogance and despair of his own herd.” Thomas Merton

[If you’re interested in my previous, and more personal musings you can see that at my blog “Downward Mobility.”]