Q. Why must we take more care of our body than of our body?
A. We must take more care of our soul than of our body because in losing our soul we lose God and everlasting happiness.
Diogenes and the Three Sestertii
Man must not forget his highest and final end. Once upon a time Diogenes, the Grecian sage, set up a tent in the market-place at Athens, and wrote up outside it: “Wisdom is sold here.” A gentleman, seeing this notice, laughed heartily at it, and calling one of his servants, he gave him three sestertii (twelve cents) and said to him: “ Go and ask that braggart how much wisdom he will let you have for three sestertii.” The servant went as he was desired, handed the money to Diogenes, and delivered his master’s message. Diogenes pocketed the three sestertii, and said: “Tell this to your master: ‘In all your actions look to the end.’ ” The gentleman approved so highly of this axiom, when it was repeated to him, that he caused it to be inscribed in letters of gold over the entrance to his house, that both he himself and every one who entered might be reminded of the end of life. Now, no one ever reminded us mortals of the highest end and aim of our existence more frequently and more forcibly than Jesus Christ did. Would that every Christian kept his eyes constantly fixed upon his final end! Everlasting happiness — our last end — should be the guiding star of our existence, the lodestone of all our affections.
