Customer Reviews

Happy Are You Poor: The Simple Life and Spiritual Freedom

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With its message right out of the bible itself, Happy Are You Poor addresses the most ignored of all of Christ's teachings: evangelical gospel poverty. Throughout its pages, Dubay carefully illustrates how the American ideals of wealth and success have had many consequences for contemporary Christians: a willingness to ignore the many unambiguous biblical texts denouncing wealth, the loss of joy as mammon replaces God, and how affluent Christians remain a mockery to pagans, who know the real thing when they see it.

Dubay begins by laying out clear definitions and premises, and then moves on to practical examples and lifestyle changes. However, he never strays far from his central theme of how salvation and wealth don't mix. An example: "The main problem in developing a deep prayer life is by far the failure to live the radicality of the Gospel, hour by hour and day by day."

For those interested in a ringing biblical response to the modern American gospel of health-and-wealth, Dubay does it best. But more importantly, he inspires one to find joy in Christ rather than in the world by showing how God has indeed done as promised and `sent the rich away empty'.

Just over a week ago, Fr. Dubay was in my hometown, giving a retreat at one of the local Catholic Churches. The topic was the same as that of this book: Gospel poverty. Due to my erradic work schedule, I was unable to attend the retreat. However, most of the people I know who attended, read this book long before the retreat, and all of them, unequivocally, have recommended the book. I began the book last Friday, and finished it last night. In short: I couldn't put it down.

I am not saying that I enjoyed this book, with it's "hard-as-nails" challenging, yet ever so true, message. If I were to say that I am not attached to my music and movies, to my clothing outfits, to my hairstyles, and what not, I would be guilty of one of the seven deadly sins: lying. Although, I, like most people, I'm sure, would claim to own my things, rather than my things owning me. However, upon reading this book, a reality known as conviction knocked on my door, and has contributed to the ongoing process of crumbling away the demonic sin from my life: pride.

I will say it again, as I said to my roommate last night: This book was a marvelous read (as it was marvelously written), and rang ever so true in my ears. Yet, it was anything but an easy read. I emphatically did NOT enjoy being convicted, quite simply because I, like most Americans, do NOT want to be told that I, in any sense whatsoever, am wrong. As the shoddy philosophy of our day goes: "It's not right to say that some things are not right." I denounce that philosophy, yet I live by it every day. This book helped reveal that to me.

I think a lot of Protestants would be wise to read this book, as many of the Churches have been poisoned by the health and wealth heresy. As I heard some preacher say on TV, "You can tell whom God has blessed by looking at the size of their houses, and the shiny hue on their cars, and the size of their bank accounts!" And of course, the whole congregation was all emotional, and in tears, with hands a-raised, and shouting, "Amen, Jesus! Praise You Jesus!" People that live on emotions, a movement dubbed as emotionalism, make me cringe.

Perhaps I'm being a wee bit too caustic; perhaps not. Regardless, America and the rest of this fallen world are precisely fallen, unsaved, and what not, precisely because people like me fail to live to the Gospel in all of it's radicality, day in and day out, 24/7. No, I take that back. It's not a matter of "failing" to live it, because to fail at something means that one is trying. For me to say that I try would again, in my estimation, make me guilty of that very same seven deadly sin I mentioned above: lying. I am Mr. Intellectual, and that is mainly all my faith is. This book has moved me in such a way that I am tired of the banal Christian life. What it really boils down to for myself, and probably most non-radical Christians, is fear of what people will think. Ultimately, shame. And, we would be wise to hark to the fore of our minds the words of Christ, "If you are ashamed of me before people, I will be ashamed of you before my Father in heaven."

Cocamo Joe

What does Christ really expect of us when He instructs those who would be His disciples to give up their worldly possessions (e.g., Mt 19:21-24)? If you're like me, you've always gotten a little nervous around passages like these and maybe you try not to think about them.

But everyone concerned about living an authentically Christian life should read Fr. Dubay's "Happy Are You Poor". It's a personally challenging exploration of the meaning of the virtue of poverty ("Blessed are the poor"). That is to say, it will challenge you to deepen your commitment to Christ and His Kingdom.

Fr. Dubay tells us flat out that he thinks we ought to hear the true message of Gospel poverty that too many are afraid to proclaim (or practice): Christians must lead radically simple, frugal, and charitable lives. Demonstrated through Scripture and most prominantly through the lives of the saints, Fr. Dubay's book is a formidable challenge to our current lifestyles.

The first four chapters of "Happy Are You Poor", which comprises "part one", are almost entirely preliminary (and mostly boring). In them, Fr. Dubay (rightly) pleads with readers to approach his book prayerfully and with an openness to correction and admonishment. He spends a long time lamenting the fact that the virtue of poverty has been watered down by many good natured folks trying to make sense of their religious vows. They reduce saintly poverty (to which we are all called) to a vague sense of "detachment" from material goods or to an "availability to others" with one's time and self. The book is largely geared toward that audience -- those who have previously misinterpreted Gospel poverty.

But then he goes on to describe Gospel poverty, and its concrete demands based upon each state of life (married, single, celibate, vowed, etc.). This part is invaluable, no matter who you are. Before you know it, you'll be seriously considering lifestyle changes (for the greater glory of God!) that you wouldn't have before. Fr. Dubay even includes an examen in the back of the book for personal reflection and growth.

This is a topic that needs to be discussed more. If anything, the possibility that this is God's will for you should be reason enough to buy this book. Indeed, He calls all of us to the virtue of poverty. How are you living it?

Reading this book made me sigh with relief. Fr. Dubay makes the connection between gospel poverty and true happiness, that is being in love with God. I look forward to the challenge of doing without unnecessary things and even at times sharing those things that I may need myself. Fr. Dubay doesn't water down Christ's message and not everyone is willing to accept that. This book will challenge you, but what it contains is true and beautiful and will lead you to a happier life.

Wherever you are in your spiritual life, you can benefit from this book. Even if you are already committed to tithing, this book will tell you how to take the next step. Tithing is the Old Testament plan for how the people of God are called to give of their resources. But Christ calls Christians to a higher level of giving. Materialism and consumerism have us enslaved. The way to freedom is to live the Gospel message - fully, not only where it is convenient and comfortable to do so. This book will change your life. Read it, live it, and YOU WILL BE FREE!

This book is an excellent presentation of Gospel poverty. Fr. Dubay lays a solid foundation for understanding and living the poverty that all Christians are called to. Addressing everyone, in all vocations of life, this books takes you where you are and brings you to where you need to be.

This book by Fr. Dubay gets right to the heart of living the Gospel in a RADICAL way! It is a LIFE CHANGER!

He addresses how folks in the different stages of life (be it married, single or religious) can apply the Gospel to their lives in the way that GOD intended it!

It as an eye-opener and is now in our TOP 3 favorite books of all times.

About the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed here. The examples of the saints that Fr. Dubday lists give flesh to Jesus' words. The Church in her teachings says the same. This book is very intergrated and shows how gospel poverty (not destitution) effects many other parts of our Christian life. Perhaps what hit home for me the most was the example that poverty brings: an "apostolic credibility." As a friend of mine said, "I want to live the type of life that doesn't make sense unless God exists."

This book really laid it down what the Gospel meant by wealth and poverty, and how it looks in life. This is the kind of exegesis I was really yearning, as I felt that everything I had heard before was fluffed up in some way, to accommodate the comfort we're accustomed to. Dubay gives it to you straight.

Although Fr. Dubay presents his central hypothesis of this book as standard Christian teaching, what he proposes is in fact an extremely radical and quite subversive teaching.

What is his hypothesis? That all Christians, without exception, are called to a life of "gospel poverty". Can one think of anything more radical in today's materialistic age? What does Fr. Dubay mean by "gospel poverty"? He is very careful to define the term, because he knows that it can be easily misunderstood. He spends an entire chapter explaining what it is not - for example, it is not destitution, laziness, or miserliness. Ultimately, gospel poverty is "emptiness and radical readiness". It involves an entire attitude and way of living in which the things of this world do not encumber us, but instead we are free to serve the Lord completely. But Fr. Dubay is careful not to reduce this to meaningless platitudes - he shows that this gospel poverty must have concrete applications. He spends an entire chapter on the "levels of radicality", explaining exactly how one can increasingly, and concretely, live a life of gospel poverty. He is also careful to emphasize how one's state of life affects the application of this lifestyle - for example, a married father with 5 children would not live in the exact same manner as a missionary friar in the third-world. But both are called to true gospel poverty.

Needless to say, in today's materialistic world in which Christians often live as materialistically as non-Christians, this is a truly radical message. But it is also one found in the Gospel itself, and one that we all need to be reminded of. More Christians living a life of true gospel poverty will go a long way to re-converting the post-Christian world to Christ, and therefore this book is a wonderful tool for evangelization that should be read by all those who are serious about living a completely gospel lifestyle.