The way of lasting success

In today’s first reading (1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12), King David tells his son Solomon of two paths.

The first path is “the way of all flesh”: in other words, death.

The second path is the way of true and lasting success.

Keep the mandate of the Lord, your God,
following his ways
and observing his statutes,
commands, ordinances, and decrees
as they are written in the law of Moses,
that you may succeed
in whatever you do,
wherever you turn,
and the Lord may fulfill
the promise he made on my behalf when he said,
‘If your sons so conduct themselves
that they remain faithful to me
with their whole heart
and with their whole soul,
you shall always have someone of your line
on the throne of Israel.’

Which path shall we follow?

May we not follow the way of the flesh, which leads to death.

May we follow the way of true and lasting success (lasting even through eternity): the way of faithfulness to God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.