An easy way to God

[chrisg93]

“Poverty is an easy way to God. Poverty is the mother of humility.It is difficult to preserve humility amid riches as purity in the midst of delights and luxury. Poverty sets free. When a person delights in and gloats over his posessions, in reality he limits, even looses his freedom. The mania of riches has enslaved him. He is lowered in status, being no longer the owner, but the owned. He has surbornidated himself to his goods. Such servile subjection becomes evident in the fever that dominates him and the anguish that racks him when he looses some of his posessions. In short, true liberty is not found except in voluntary poverty. Poverty is true riches. So precious is poverty that God’s Only Begotton Son come on earth in search of it. In heaven he had super abundance of all goods. Nothing was lacking there but poverty.” —St. Anthony of Pauda

" The foundation for perfect love is voluntary poverty; whereby one lives without any private property; if you want to be perfect, go and sell what you have and give it to the poor, and come, follow me."—St Thomas Aquinas

" Poverty is good and contains within itself all good things in the world."—St Teresa of Avila

Thank God for these wonderful Saints!

 

[villaneweva]

nice!

I dream of living a life of poverty one day, but I also wish to have a family. This is where I am divided, I want to raise my kids in the best environment that I can provide, but I do not want to be bound to worldy possessions.

anyone?

 

[Magicsilence]

villaneweva:

nice!

I dream of living a life of poverty one day, but I also wish to have a family. This is where I am divided, I want to raise my kids in the best environment that I can provide, but I do not want to be bound to worldy possessions.

anyone?

To give up a family for God would be a large sacrifice that He would be very happy with i think.

 

[E.E.N.S]

Magicsilence:

To give up a family for God would be a large sacrifice that He would be very happy with i think.

I agree with this whole heartedly! But even if you choose to have a family (which is good), you can still live simply. For example, buy a trailer in a small town, don’t buy a TV!, teach your children about God the right way - raise saints!

But to give up everything for God’s sake will bring you the greatest reward possible!

In Christ through Mary,
~Lee

Pax tecum!

 

[Pentecost2005]

villaneweva:

nice!

I dream of living a life of poverty one day, but I also wish to have a family. This is where I am divided, I want to raise my kids in the best environment that I can provide, but I do not want to be bound to worldy possessions.

anyone?

Not a problem. Send me your money and let ME deal with the spiritual hazards of your wealth.

 

[SavedByFaith]

Pentecost2005:

Not a problem. Send me your money and let ME deal with the spiritual hazards of your wealth.

LOL, no kidding… I have had my cup of financial suffering for 5 yrs now, (laid off, started own business, business is slow…). I am ready to pass it off to someone else, no reason for me to hog all the blessings of poverty and back taxes.

 

[E.E.N.S]

^(James 2:14-26)

 

[LSK]

You guys are funny - but I know what you mean…I have plenty, believe me, but I sometimes think “You know, God, if you let me win the lottery I promise I’ll give to the poor…no really!”.

It would be difficult to raise a family in complete poverty and not worry too much. I think wanting things like health insurance for the kids isn’t a bad thing. BUT I know how seductive the secular, material world can become until you think you are only working for what you need but it turns out it is all about what you WANT… .

Then again, if it was easy to be a Catholic Christian everyone would be one…

 

[SavedByFaith]

Actually I was kinda half serious and half joking. I once made a ton of money each year and between me and wife did a handy 6 figures. I was very proud of myself over how well I was doing. I honestly feel that God allowed me to lose it all in order to get my attention, which He has done very well. I am no longer very proud nor am I very arrogant (trust me on that one). I pray daily for my suffering to come to an end BUT - I also pray that it would end only to the extent that I can be humble and meek and protected from pride. I feel that at some point I will get back to where I was but when (and if) I do, I will be more attentive to giving credit to My Lord and Saviour for allowing me to be there instead of taking credit for it myself.

 

[urquhart]

I know a rich man who is happy and lives very simply, despite the fact he has a large family, many possessions, and millions of dollars. But I have also known many poor people who worried themselves sick about all the things they thought they needed but could not have. Maybe the key is learning to be unattached, regardless of your material circumstances?

 

[SavedByFaith]

urquhart:

I know a rich man who is happy and lives very simply, despite the fact he has a large family, many possessions, and millions of dollars. But I have also known many poor people who worried themselves sick about all the things they thought they needed but could not have. Maybe the key is learning to be unattached, regardless of your material circumstances?

Amen, we are called to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. This means that if we are lead into riches OR poverty we are to follow with a humble, meek spirit and always with love and joy!

 

[CarolAnnSFO]

urquhart:

I know a rich man who is happy and lives very simply, despite the fact he has a large family, many possessions, and millions of dollars. But I have also known many poor people who worried themselves sick about all the things they thought they needed but could not have. Maybe the key is learning to be unattached, regardless of your material circumstances?

Exactly! We can all practice a form of poverty, no matter what our financial status – by not allowing the things we own to own us, by not becoming overly attached to them, by not always trying to “keep up with the Joneses”, etc. Do you really need a 32" plasma TV when the 20" old-fashioned one works just fine? And so on.

I don’t know that anyone’s spirituality is enhanced by crushing, grinding poverty – the filth-squalor-not enough food-no roof over your head kind of poverty. When you have that form of poverty, your loftiest thoughts will be about where your next meal is coming from, and not how to get closer to God. Just my two cents.

Crazy Internet Junkie Society
****Carrier of the Angelic Sparkles Sprinkle Bag

 

[puzzleannie]

villaneweva:

nice!

I dream of living a life of poverty one day, but I also wish to have a family. This is where I am divided, I want to raise my kids in the best environment that I can provide, but I do not want to be bound to worldy possessions.

anyone?

go ahead and have kids, they do their best to push you into poverty, giving you all a chance to learn the true meaning of blessed are the poor in spirit.