Today’s Reading begins with Sirach 3:17-29. Sirach is one of the seven Books that early Profiteers of Protestantism removed from their Bibles. They were judged to be too Catholic because they undermined the credibility of self-serving beliefs in early Protestant Marketing Plans.
Many Protestants are to be congratulated for being Christian despite having parts of their Bibles taken from them!
This “rule” from Sirach is typical of teachings they took out of their Bibles: “My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.” Rich people were no longer told, “Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God.” The opposite is a truth that many are desperate to avoid considering: “Humble yourself the least, the greater you are, and you will not find favor with God.”
Paul describes how Profiteers of Protestantism reacted to that teaching in Hebrews 12:18-19! “Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged (What the Profiteers of Protestantism asked!) that no message be further addressed to them.”!
Europe’s early Profiteers of Protestantism needed the richest people to give them the most. And, their greediest supporters wanted the millions of acres of Catholic lands and assets stolen by those whom they financed. Both groups ignored Sirach’s profound advice from God, “conduct your affairs with humility”, as they seized confiscated convents and monasteries and turned them into personal mansions in their newly acquired estates.
Pride is the opposite of the “humility” encouraged by Sirach. That is why pride is the first of the Seven Deadly Sins. The acronym “peggalas” puts pride, envy, greed, gluttony, anger, lust, and sloth into one, Catholic word. If we ask God to help us control the demons of pride, we can keep the others from leading us astray.
Victims of Protestantism are led by those overflowing with the pride that they share with donors: “We know more than Jesus about getting our immortal souls into Heaven. We do not need The Church He Who Fulfilled the Prophesies Spoke Into Being with His Church-Creating Word to His First Catholic Pope: ‘And I say unto you thou art Peter and on this rock I build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I give you the keys to The Kingdom of Heaven.’”
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Today’s Simple Rhyme: “Those who know more than Jesus / Often want to fleece us.”
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