Tag Archives: envy

The Ladder of Divine Ascent: Avarice and Poverty

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From The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus:

“Do not say that you are interested in money for the sake of the poor, for two mites were sufficient to purchase the kingdom of heaven (cf. Luke 21:2).”

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“The pretext of almsgiving is the start of avarice, and the finish is detestation of the poor. The collector is stirred by charity, but, when the money is in, the grip tightens.”

“A man who has embraced poverty offers up prayer that is pure, while a man who loves possessions prays to material images.”

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“The man who has tasted the things of heaven easily thinks nothing of what is below, but he who has had no taste of heaven finds pleasure in possessions.”

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“The man who thinks nothing of goods has freed himself from quarrels and disputes. But the lover of possessions will fight to the death for a needle. Sturdy faith cuts off cares, and remembrance of death denies the body. There was no trace of avarice in Job, and so he remained tranquil when he lost everything.”

Oil For Food Means Investigation for Money

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I’m glad some effort
is being made to keep the U.N. accountable.

Congress May Block UN Budget Over Oil-for-Food Probe

More than 100 members of Congress will try to block some United States funding of the United Nations unless U.S. officials are allowed to begin an open and complete investigation into a U.N. humanitarian program in pre-war Iraq — sooner rather than later.

Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) noted Monday that it has been more than a year since the public first learned of fraud and abuse allegations directed at the U.N.’s oil-for-food program in Iraq. Flake and his colleagues are unhappy with the U.N.’s apparent lack of progress in its investigation of those charges. Now they are actively promoting existing legislation that would punish what they see as willful inaction.