Happy Are You Poor: The Simple Life and Spiritual Freedom

by Thomas Dubay

Publisher:

Ignatius

, 2003

Overview

To the modern mind, the concept of poverty is often confused with destitution. But destitution emphatically is not the Gospel ideal. A love-filled sharing frugality is the message, and Happy Are You Poor explains the meaning of this beatitude lived and taught by Jesus himself. But isn’t simplicity in lifestyle meant only for nuns and priests? Are not all of us to enjoy the goodness and beauties of our magnificent creation? Are parents to be frugal with the children they love so much?

The renowned spiritual writer Thomas Dubay gives surprising replies to these questions. He explains how material things are like extensions of our persons and thus of our love. If everyone lived this love there would be no destitution.

After presenting the richness of the Gospel message, more beautiful than any other world view, he explains how Gospel frugality is lived in each state of life.

Key Features

• Presents studies on poverty and prayer for the everyday Christian
• Explains the meaning of the beatitude live and taught by Jesus
• Provides a scriptural understanding of Gospel frugality

Contents

• Problems and Presuppositions
• Values: What and Why?
• Radically and Superfluity
• States in Life
• Joy

Top Highlights

“Detachment is one-half of this readiness; humility is the other. Poverty is related to both.” (Page 58)

“This pilgrim status implies still another presupposition: we are brothers and sisters to our fellow pilgrims, and we spontaneously, unquestioningly share good things with them.” (Page 43)

“Our final premise flows from all the others: understanding Gospel poverty perfectly requires a perfect conversion, a 180- degree switch from worldliness.” (Page 44)

“Premise number seven: a consuming concern for the kingdom (Jn 4:34).” (Page 43)

“Having wealth is damaging to the pursuit of the kingdom because the very having does something to one’s inner life, one’s very ability to love God for his own goodness and others in and for him.” (Page 59)

Praise for the Print Edition

Who does not want to be happy, enjoy a simple life, and revel in spiritual freedom? Fr. Dubay explains persuasively how we, through our blessed spiritual poverty, can detach ourselves from material goods and open ourselves to that source of lasting joy.

—Donald DeMarco, professor emeritus of philsophy, St. Jerome’s University

Father Dubay, an outstanding spiritual writer, has taken on the thorny problem of poverty and how it really relates to Christians. With his usual spiritual acumen Father Dubay looks at this question and gives every person something serious to think about regarding personal poverty, a value that speaks to us on every page of the Gospel.

—Benedict J. Groeschel, professor of pastoral psychology, St. Jerome’s University

Product Details

• Title: Happy Are You Poor: The Simple Life and Spiritual Freedom
• Author: Thomas Dubay
• Publisher: Ignatius
• Print Publication Date: 2003
• Logos Release Date: 2014
• Pages: 170
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Simplicity › Religious aspects--Christianity; Freedom of religion
• ISBNs: 9780898709216, 0898709210
• Resource ID: LLS:HAPPYAREYOUPOOR
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:56:28Z

About Thomas Dubay

Thomas Dubay is a retreat master and spiritual director for religious communities around the country, as well as a highly regarded speaker at conferences and retreats for lay people in North America. He has hosted five different 13-part television series on spirituality and prayer, and is the best-selling author of such acclaimed spiritual works as Fire Within, Prayer Primer, and Happy Are You Poor.