But first, here's Francis:
..."poverty is at the center of the Gospel. Preaching about poverty is at the center of Jesus’ message: ‘Blessed are the poor’ is the first of the Beatitudes.”....Francis only gets a 50% mark for his quotation. He fails.
The actual text?
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall inherit the earth.There is a world of difference. Being 'poor in spirit' is an act of the will. Therefore, one with the fortune of Croesus could be "poor in spirit." In contrast, being "poor" is usually NOT an act of the will--and in fact, some who are "poor" are not "poor in spirit."
Being 'poor in spirit' necessarily involves charity; it is a recognition that the highest and best use of possessions is 'for others.' That is not a mandate that one gives away all one's goods; remember that Jesus "loved" the young man who sought perfection despite the fact that the young man would not give away all he had. What being 'poor in spirit' means is being able to distinguish 'wants' from 'needs.' One may want a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, but the need is for a Ford Taurus. Big diff.
Now then, as to irony....
Go around your Diocese and ask each church musician whether they are 1099 or W-2, and if W-2, how much their Diocese will pay them in pension dollars at their retirement.
Go ahead. We'll wait.
See what I mean......Irony??
3 comments:
What a dipstick.
Luke 6:20.
As the only choir director for my mid-sized parish which offers music at Mass twice/month there's neither 1099 nor W-2 because I've been paid nothing since I formed the choir 12 years ago. My son who is the only organist plays about 4 to 6 Masses/month. He too is unpaid. We're just thankful that we can provide a little Latin chant & other traditional music at our rather Modernist Novus Ordo parish! We are working on being "poor in spirit"!
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