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When Christ addressed the SRO crowd gathering on the mount to hear Him, few expected the message coming from His mouth for it was not to encourage overthrowing the Roman Empire, it was not how to deal with the Scribes and Pharisees, nor was it about how to increase one's coffers but rather a message that rang home to a few then and still rings true for a few in this day when materialism and naturalism have crowded out the nobility of being poor in spirit. So many misunderstand today that Christ was the first revolutionary and they mistakenly use Him as a model to advance their socialistic, Marxist causes. Heaven cannot be happy nor is the Almighty, along with the Church Triumphant pleased with His appointed ones who abuse their responsibilities by not carrying them out and misrepresenting the Eight Beatitudes Jesus gave in order that all might have the opportunity to achieve everlasting life. In order to do so, one must humiliate himself and be childlike in submission to his Creator in all things, including adherence to all His holy Church has taught and held sacred without veering one iota from Catholic truth. As St. Paul reminds us, only by standing firm and holding to tradition can one be assured of being blessed and inheriting the kingdom of Heaven.
Editor's Note: This series is an effort to return to basics since too often we all make the holy Faith complicated, whereas in reality the truths and traditions of the Catholic Faith are quite simple. God doesn't complicate things, man does. Realizing the fact that, for many generations indoctrinated by conciliar ambiguities, it all seems so confusing, we are introducing this series which is an adaptation of an earlier series titled "Appreciating the Precious Gift of the Faith" in utilizing a combination of the excellent compendium of the late Bishop Morrow's pre-Vatican II Manual of Religion My Catholic Faith and Dom Prosper Gueranger's incomparable The Liturgical Year as well as the out-of-print masterpieces The Catholic Church Alone The One True Church(1902) and the Cabinet of Catholic Information (1903). Through prayer and discussions, we've decided to employ this revised series to simplify the tenets of the Faith for those who continue to wallow in what they think is the 'Catholic Church' out of obedience to a man and his hierarchy who long ago betrayed Christ and His flocks. This then, is an affirmation of the basic truths the Spotless Bride of Christ has always taught and cannot change or evolve as "living documents" for truth is truth. As we say every day in the Act of Faith, "We believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived." If you have been deceived, and the vast majority have been, then realize what you've been indoctrinated with over the past 50 years cannot be from God but from His adversary. Our advice: flee the conciliar confines as well as other man-made religions which do not teach these truths without compromise. Seek out a traditional chapel nearest to you. There is a list of churches you can absolutely trust at Traditional Latin Masses
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"And opening His mouth He taught them, saying, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven'" (St. Matthew 5:1-10).
These are the beatitudes; they are thus called, because their practice will bring us happiness on earth as well as in Heaven.
The first four beatitudes are:
1. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."
The poor in spirit are those who, however great their wealth, dignity, learning, etc., acknowledge that in God's sight they are poor, and realize that their riches come from God. They are detached in heart and mind from worldly possessions, for love of God. Even in this life they are at peace, a foretaste of Heaven.
Thus a rich man may in fact be poor in spirit, if he is not attached to his wealth, but spends it freely for good causes, and is willing to be parted from it at God's will. On the other hand a poor man is not truly poor in spirit, if he is not resigned to his poverty, but envies the rich, if he is poor against his will, or prides himself on some quality of his.
In general, the poor in this world's goods are also poor in spirit. They are saved from temptations into which the wealthy fall. This is one reason for seeking poverty voluntarily, according to Christ's counsel.
Our Lord often emphasized the difficulty of salvation when one is rich: |
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