EMPTY THE VESSEL (THE HAPPY EXCHANGE)

“Shake off all earthly things, counting them useless, noxious, and hurtful to thee.”~Saint Albert The Great “You cannot please both God and the world at the same time. They are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions.”~St John Vianney 1 John 2:15 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 15 Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him. "There are two loves, the love of God and the love of the world. If the love of the world takes possession of you, there is no way for the love of God to enter into you. Let the love of the world take the second place, and let the love of God dwell in you. Let the better love take over."~St. Augustine “Just as the opposition of contraries bestows beauty upon language, then, so is the beauty of this world enhanced by the opposition of contraries, composed, as it were, by an eloquence not of words, but of things.” (City of God 11.18) “If we had possessions we should need arms for their defense. They are the source of quarrels and lawsuits, and are usually a great obstacle to the love of God and one’s neighbor. That is why we have no desire for temporal goods.”~St. Francis of Assisi “Let us remember that love lives through sacrifice and is nourished by giving. Without sacrifice, there is no love.”~Saint Maximilian Kolbe "He who strives for earthly goods will never become a saint."~St. Philip Neri he wealthy can practice poverty in spirit by giving alms and performing good works. “O happy exchange,” says St. Peter Damian, “we give earth and receive gold”; that is to say, we give our earthly possessions and receive in return graces from God and an eternal reward in Heaven. In all ages of the Christian era there have been people of distinguished rank who lived in great simplicity in order to be able to perform good works. Finally, we prove to evidence that we possess the spirit of detachment when we are ready to sacrifice everything we have—riches, honors, dignities, position—in short, every temporal advantage, rather than offend God. "We should not really call these things our own because we cannot bring them with us into the next world, where only virtue can accompany us."~St. Ambrose “All earthly honors are things of the devil.”~St. Hilary © 2026 E2DAY (EZ4EVER). All Rights Reserved *All Lyrics and Concept © 2026 E2DAY (EZ4EVER)*