Wednesday Witness: Happy Are You Poor

For the past 20+ years, I’ve noticed several strange phenomena nearly every time a conversation turns to what the gospel says about material wealth and spiritual poverty:

• Friendly conversations turn defensive: “We don’t have that much; so-and-so has X, and vacations every year in Y.”
• Faithful Catholics attempt to justify themselves: “If you include Catholic school tuition, we give 10 percent like the Bible says—and we serve in other ways too!”
• Straightforward moralists become subtle and nuanced: “What ‘poor in spirit’ actually means is…’”

And, in some cases, actual spiritual deafness occurs: I was in a conversation once in which I admitted my own struggles in this area and said I felt I needed to do more to actually love my neighbor from my own resources. A friend followed my remarks with, “It’s like Jim says…” and proceeded to relate the exact opposite message.

Father Thomas Dubay’s book Happy Are You Poor was written to combat these phenomena with clear teaching from the Gospels and the rest of sacred Scripture, edification offered by various popes and councils, and the lives of the saints. It was recommended to me by Father Daly in response to the awe I feel as Brother Jude (our second son Gabe) proceeds in his journey as a Franciscan friar and the conviction that I need to live a less self-centered and materialistic life.

This is a countercultural book even within the Catholic Church. It pulls no punches, forcing the reader to content with the actual words of Jesus and the prophets and Apostles on the potential evils of wealth and the Lord’s profound call to (and examples of) love of neighbor. It makes a strong case for the role of evangelical poverty in every person’s call to holiness whatever your state or vocation, as well as questions for examining your life and practical tips for growing in evangelical poverty.

The book is fairly simple, but not easy. Dubay anticipates the difficulties many people will have with the challenges he presents and addresses them directly, prodding and cajoling the reader to continue. The book is written as though he expects people to skip chapters and “cut to the chase.” Concepts and key points are often repeated, making the book a little redundant if you read straight through. But the book is relatively short, and the later, more practical chapters make the journey worthwhile.

For me, the two most thought-provoking chapters were “Necessity and Superfluity” (on how we gauge needs, wants, and how much is too much) and “Frugality in Marriage” (on what evangelical poverty looks like for married persons living in the world)—plus the examen at the end of the book. It has already made in impact on how I spend my time and money each day—I pray to God it continues to bear fruit in ways that benefit His kingdom. I recommend it!