The Rich Atheist and the Rich Christian
A rich male atheist and scientist met a rich christian man and on the long run, they became friends because as we know, “likes” attracts; they are both rich. But what attracted the atheist scientist to his new found christian friend more was his virtues: humility, self contentment, continence, soberness, truthfulness, quest to do good always, patience, hopefulness, fortitude, etc. So, since he has every material things and knowledge, he wanted to acquire more virtues.
However, everyday at 3 O’clock in the evening the rich christian friend excuses himself from business and scientific discussion to say his Divine Mercy Prayers.
Nevertheless, the rich atheist and scientist friend could not bear this anymore for he didn’t understand why a rich man would be praying because he had always thought strongly that there’s no God and people pray to God only because they are materially poor, in want or in need. So, for him, he needs nothing material and therefore he has it all.
On that fateful day after his christian friend returned from saying his Divine Mercy Prayers, he asked him: “What do you “gain” from praying regularly and as if there is God?
The christian rich friend replied:
“Usually, I don’t earn anything”, but rather ” I lose things”. And he began to state everything he had lost by praying:
I lost my pride.
I lost my arrogance.
I lost greed.
I lost my urge….
I lost my anger.
I lost the lust.
I lost the pleasure of lying.
I lost impatience, despair, and
discouragement.
In general, I lost the thirst for sin.
He continued:
“I cannot logically tell you whether there is God or not but I know that I have changed a lot and lost a lot since I started saying my Divine Mercy prayers, but before then , I have been making only physical efforts to do avail. But to WHOM have I lost these vices and from WHOM had all these virtues that attracted you come from?”
The rich atheist and scientist was silent. The rich christian friend sighed and continued: “For me, He is God.” And such an attractive virtue can only come from a wonderful excellent being.”
“Sometimes we pray, not to gain something, but to lose things that don’t allow us to grow spiritually. Prayer educates, strengthens, and heals. Prayer
is the channel that connects us directly to God.”
“Be a person of prayer.”
The next day, the atheist and scientist rich friend found himself at the foot of the cross with his rich christian friend saying the divine mercy prayers.
“And you shall know the truth and that truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).
Fr. Truth Series.
©Fr. Henry Charles Umelechi , 2024.
Also read: River of Sex: Sex in marriage comes differently to women and differently to men.