Spiritual Quotes

The arrival of Israel in the promised land, Canaan, and the taking of the country under the leadership of Joshua involved the resolution of a set of practical problems that the Israelites had to solve on the ground, and one of these problems was the form of government that they had to adopt. The judges had been an institution created by the prophet Moses during the journey to the promised land, and this aristocracy was the form of government that ruled the nation of Israel during its early days. Thus, the aristocracy of judges saved Israel from its oppressors countless times, but it happened that the Israelites desired the greatest good that a government can give, and that is the good of peace; this is why the aristocracy of judges gave way to the first monarchy when the Ammonite King Nahash invaded the country. The First Book of Samuel relates how this prophet anointed Saul King of Israel, but Saul was fully recognized as King once he defeated the Ammonites at Jabesh. Saul then, to celebrate his victory, gathered the people in Gilgal, and there the prophet Samuel gave a speech, so that the nascent monarchy, which had supplanted the aristocracy, would not turn into a tyranny. And with these words, Samuel introduced Saul: "Here is the king you have chosen. You asked for him, and the LORD has granted your request" 1 Samuel 12:13. Saul, as a prophet, reminded everyone that the beginning of spirituality is the fear of God, and that through this spiritual gift the nation of Israel would be blessed. And it would be this fear that would prevent the monarchy from turning into a tyranny, because when the heart of the King governs for the greatest end that a ruler can obtain, which is the glory of God, and not his own glory, that is when just and virtuous regimes are established that seek the common good.

There is almost no information about the life of the prophet Micah in his book, unlike in the case of Isaiah. His book consists of a series of oracles written during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Micah was almost certainly alive when Sennacherib conquered the city of Samaria and deported all its inhabitants, and also when this tyrant besieged the capital of the Kingdom of Judah, Jerusalem. The book of Micah begins with God's judgment against the sins of Samaria, sins that began when King Jeroboam brought the golden calves to Dan and Bethel to be worshipped. At the beginning of his book, the prophet described the extreme instability in Samaria; the greed and selfishness of its ruling class had delivered the country into oppression, and it wasn't just the kings, but also their false prophets and priestly class. As is common among all the prophets, Micah warned with dire warnings that the path of error only led Israel to its own destruction, and that sin puts a barrier between men and God, as he expressed in his book: "Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done" Micah 3:4. In other words, Micah repeats a fundamental spiritual teaching in the Bible: God only reveals his face when men allow themselves to be loved by God. This is why he wrote that false prophets would only receive darkness and ignorance in their visions, and that they would be shamed by God in the time of need with these words: "They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God" Micah 3:7. The prophecies about the destruction of Samaria written by Micah were unfailingly fulfilled. Despite this initial pessimism in his book, Micah ended his work with a series of oracles about the restoration of Zion, even going so far as to prophesy the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and this is an interpretation according to the Christian faith.

The Book of Proverbs, with its enigmatic sayings, teaches the principles of the most excellent science, the science of God. Because wisdom blesses those who accept her into their hearts, and this is so because those who relentlessly seek happiness paradoxically never find it; happiness is a reward that wisdom bestows upon those who understand how this science works, and this is what biblical spirituality consists of in its true sense. And in the first collection of Solomon's proverbs, the author of the book wrote a beautiful phrase to reflect upon: "A person with good sense is respected; a treacherous person is headed for destruction" Proverbs 13:15. If there's one good thing about wisdom, it's its ability to solve practical problems when it's used. And people with common sense know how to apply wisdom and thus minimize problems and suffering. This is what the proverb refers to in its first part. On the other hand, those who practice evil, remember the proverb, can only expect the same from others, and this is what the second part of the proverb refers to. But this teaching, which seems so simple, works on a principle that is not expressed, and that is that no one can ignore the effects of the ethical laws of the universe, which are there, around all things, and which have existed since the universe was created. Essentially, what the proverb is explaining is that those who use common sense and are edifying, progressive, and benevolent can expect good results, but those who are chaotic and destructive only expect ruin. The proverb then invites Bible readers to reflect, to not let men be led by selfishness, but by that cause which is God's plan for the world, and that when this divine plan is fulfilled, it blesses all men with true life and security.

Paul had preached in the city of Corinth for more than a year, and after his departure, some problems began that made Paul doubt whether the conversions that had been achieved were sincere. And so in his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul, among other things, condemned the carnal man and encouraged the Christians of that Church to draw closer to the spiritual man, the man reborn in Christ. This is because in the doctrine of the kingdom of God, the spiritual and the carnal have no contact with each other and are mutually exclusive. Paul continued in his teaching and wrote to them, thinking about the spiritual changes that baptism brings. And this is so because of a truth that Jesus taught: "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God" Luke 9:62. For the apostle Paul, baptism meant the entrance into a new life, the passage from a life full of sins to a life of righteousness. For Paul, the carnal man was a heavy burden, because the carnal man lives subject fundamentally to the pleasures of the body and his passions. This problem makes the carnal man strongly subject to one outcome: suffering. And so, Paul taught the Christians of Corinth that they should avoid one of the sins that most hinders human spiritual progress: lust. And then Paul reminded the Christians of Corinth of something very special because through the sacrament of baptism they had been bought for God, and this is how he explained this fact: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies" 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. The grace of baptism, then, in Paul's thought, is the invitation to a fundamental spiritual change, the transition from the carnal man to the spiritual man, or in other words, the call to seek that hidden treasure which is the love of Christ in the hearts of the believers in the faith.

Paul's second missionary journey marked the definitive spiritual transformation of the great apostle to the Gentiles, which had begun with his conversion on the way to the city of Damascus. And it was for this reason that Paul began to write his famous letters, demonstrating his great skill as a doctor of the Church and theologian. And this second missionary journey had a very special central moment for Paul, his arrival in the city of Athens. Based on the account in the Book of Acts, it is very likely that Paul visited this incredible city for the first time in his life. The Book of Acts tells what happened to the apostle when he arrived in the city: "He was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols" Acts 17:16. And there Paul encountered something different from the other cities he had visited: the science of philosophy. Until arriving in Athens, Paul had limited himself to preaching in synagogues that Jesus was the Messiah. But in Athens, a different kind of people were willing to listen to him. And so the Book of Acts recounts this novel moment for Paul: "He also had a debate with some of the Epicureans and Stoic philosophers" Acts 17:18. Clearly, Paul's preaching aroused great curiosity, to such an extent that the Book of Acts recounts what happened next: "They took him to the high council of the city. 'Come and tell us about this new teaching,' they said. 'You are saying some rather strange things, and we want to know what it's all about" Acts 17:19-20. With this invitation, Paul had to deliver a very different discourse, one more related to the science of metaphysics than to the study of scripture, because his audience was not Jews, but pagans. Nevertheless, after his discourse concluded, the Book of Acts recounts that many pagans were converted to the faith. It is very likely that this event and his preaching in Corinth for more than a year marked his spiritual maturity and with it the need to write his famous letters.

The fear of God, or the respect towards the Lord, is one of the most important spiritual gifts in the Old Testament, more important than mercy or righteousness. This gift is mentioned constantly throughout the books of the Bible. Even Moses, when giving the Law to the Israelites, spoke subtly and indirectly of its necessity for a deep understanding of the law. Understanding this gift is understanding why the kingdoms of Israel and Judah fell into ruin when they forgot God. When the prophets taught the Israelites, they always referred to that change of heart to avoid sin and, in particular, idolatry. And the sapiential literature of which the book of proverbs is a part teaches much about this spiritual gift; this is why the Book of Proverbs leaves a spiritual advice to keep in mind and not forget with these words: "Showing respect to the LORD brings true life—if you do it, you can relax without fear of danger" Proverbs 19:23. The fear of God is the beginning of man's spiritual life, it is the beginning of the relationship with God, because the opposite of fear is the hardness of the heart. The truly sensible man is the man who fears God. And this maxim of life, this proverb, teaches that whoever lives in the fear of God should not be afraid of unforeseen destructive events. He who feels respect for the Lord considers the path of error an abomination; therefore, the fear of God is security and peace. And the fear of God brings with it another blessing; this gift is progressive and bears fruit in the gift of wisdom, as happened to Solomon, when in the sacred place of Gibeon, God granted him a heart that knows how to listen. This is why the Proverb associates the fear of God with true life, the contemplative life. Knowing the fear of God is therefore the beginning of the path towards the spiritual mysteries of the Old Testament.

The Gospel of John begins in an unusual way, different from the Synoptic Gospels. The Gospel of John begins by speaking of Jesus in a way that transcends the merely human and earthly. To begin his gospel, John used an idea from the science of metaphysics, which states that the objects we perceive with our senses, material objects, have their origin in immaterial objects, such as wisdom. This is why the Gospel of John teaches that in the beginning there was the word, that is, wisdom, and that through it everything was created with these words: "And with this Word, God created all things. Nothing was made without the Word" John 1:3.But then the gospel affirms that that word, that wisdom, became flesh, that is, it was personified in a person with these words: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" John 1:14. Without saying it openly, but in a metaphorical and covert way, the evangelist John presented Jesus as the personification of the perfections of God, that is, Jesus as God who becomes "son of man". And this is an idea that will be constantly repeated in the Gospel of John, especially with Jesus's statements with his seven "I am". After these teachings, the Gospel of John refers to John the Baptist, who preceded Jesus, and baptized with water in the Jordan. And so the Gospel of John continues with the testimony of John the Baptist about that word that became flesh in the world with these words: "Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me" John 1:15. In short, the Gospel of John, in its prologue, does not begin by speaking of Jesus, but of a Son who came into the world to make the Father known, and that through this Son, who is the personification of the word, men received a special grace, because the truth can only be received through the embodied word.

Psalm 111 is a hymn of praise to God that shows in a few words the theological thought in the Old Testament. God cannot be known through mere faith, because, as Psalm 111 explains, God reveals himself through his works; this is why the Psalm begins with these words: "The LORD's deeds are spectacular. They should be studied by all who enjoy them" Psalm 111:2. With this, the Psalm also explains that God is known through the most excellent science, wisdom, the science that studies ultimate and first causes. The psalm teaches, then, that it is the wise, like Solomon in his time, who study the works of God and understand them with their hearts, penetrating through their understanding into the divine mysteries. The God of the Old Testament is therefore a God who makes himself known through his signs and wonders, and so the Psalm mentions how God fed Israel with the manna that fell from heaven, and how God granted Israel the promised land. The Psalm then goes on to teach that no imperfections can be attributed to God, since He is perfection in the highest degree, and this is expressed in the song: "The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness" Psalm 111:7-8. And God, being perfect, demands the same of men; that is why He requires them to live with wisdom, mercy, and faithfulness. And in particular, the hymn mentions the need for the fear of God that bears fruit in the greater gifts, which is why the hymn concludes with these words: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Good sense is shown by everyone who follows God's guiding principles" Psalm 111:10.

The Book of Acts relates that Paul, once he arrived in Athens, felt for the first time the shock that his words meant to the pagans, who thought that Paul was a charlatan and a preacher of foreign deities. This is why he later began to write his epistles to the different churches he founded, such as his two epistles to the Church of Corinth. These letters constitute the first written texts of the New Testament and show not only the situation of the Church during that period but also how theological thought evolved in the nascent Church. And the Second Epistle to the Corinthians is a very interesting letter. Because of the problems he outlined in this letter, his words demonstrate a great concern for proving his authority as a preacher of the Church. According to what the apostle expressed, the problem was not only the heresies combated in his first epistle, but also that, after his departure from Corinth, supposed Christian teachers had arrived who had discredited his authority. This is why, after asserting his authority, Paul gave a series of recommendations to the Christians of Corinth, especially regarding their relationship with the pagans. That is why he wrote the following words: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?" 2 Corinthians 6:14. With this, Paul warned that those who live righteously, like Christians, cannot have a life in common with those who practice error daily. Righteousness and error are incompatible. And so Paul, alluding to the heavenly citizenship, which the apostle mentioned in other letters, expressed: "Come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD" 2 Corinthians 6:17. Paul called on Christians not to defile themselves with worldly things like lust and the love of money, but to make the hidden treasure that is the eternal life their most valuable possession. Ultimately, Paul called on Christians to live as pilgrims for Christ in this world.

Ben Sira lived during the Hellenistic period, and as a master of wisdom, he wrote a beautiful book about the most perfect science in order to provide instruction that would complement the Law of Moses, because the Law commands and orders, but wisdom invites, advises, and suggests. And both Law and wisdom go hand in hand, because the goal of both in the mind of the wise was the blessedness of the Israelites. And so the wise man dealt with a wide variety of topics in his book, such as the conditions for attaining wisdom, the fear of God, and helping those in need. And one of the most prominent themes of his book was the comparison he made, similar to the book of Proverbs, between the wise and the foolish. This is why he gave the following spiritual teaching to meditate: "The heart of fools is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wise is in their heart" Ben Sira 21:26. With this teaching, the wise man left a very interesting thought, because he explained that fools speak first and then think, while sensible men think first and then speak. And the wise man explained this with a very clear intention: with fools there are only problems and suffering, whereas with sensible men there is order, justice, and progress. This is because in fools self-love, lust, and disordered passions predominate, whereas in sensible men, the desire to be instructed predominates. A very clear example of Ben Sira's teaching was David, who always pondered his words and made Israel prosper, but on the other hand, Rehoboam, with his foolishness and ill-considered words, caused the political schism, leading to the division between Judah and Israel. Ben Sira then invited the readers of the Bible to make the best choice, to seek out the wise and avoid the foolish, so that with this instruction, they could achieve order in life and happiness.

The sapiential literature in the Bible, with its famous books, teaches the constant opposition between wisdom and error, and that true happiness, that is, blessedness, for man consists in seeking the knowledge of the most perfect science while avoiding the practice of error. There are many interesting stories in the Bible that demonstrate this spiritual truth. And one of these stories was when Joseph, as told in the Book of Genesis, was accused by the wife of a royal official for having behaved inappropriately towards her. According to the Book of Genesis, Joseph was the son of Jacob and Rachel. Because of his brothers' envy, Joseph was sold as a slave in Egypt and bought by a royal official named Potiphar. The Book of Genesis recounts that Joseph was handsome and attractive, and therefore Potiphar's wife desired him as a lover. But because Joseph rejected her advances, Potiphar's wife set a trap for him, and then, with a lie, enraged her husband, who sent Joseph to prison. The Bible relates the event with these words: "Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined" Genesis 39:20. Potiphar did not act wisely and therefore acted under deception. This shows that virtue alone is not enough to attain truth. But there is also another story that shows what it means to not make a mistake and to find the truth through sacred listening, and it is the story of Solomon and two prostitutes who were disputing over the custody of a child, related in 1 Kings 3:16-28. In this case, Solomon did not let himself be carried away by passions; he meditated on wisdom, and through sacred listening, he found the true mother. Solomon, because of his love of wisdom, knew how to make the right decision, but Potiphar, driven by passion, made a mistake. Wisdom and error are presented as solutions and paths for humankind, thence the distinction between sensible and foolish people. Like Solomon and Potiphar, each person has the freedom to choose their own path.

The Book of Deuteronomy is a book attributed to Moses in which the prophet expounded his final spiritual teachings, including the commandments. The book is primarily composed of three speeches delivered by the prophet. The first speech recounts many events related to the journey to the Promised Land, while the second delves into what is known as deuteronomic code. And the prophet, in his second speech, not only set forth the commandments given to Israel but also the spirit that should animate them. Because, as the prophet taught, the commandments are the manifestation of divine wisdom toward Israel: "Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations" Deuteronomy 4:6. When Moses expressed his thoughts as a prophet, he never intended a rigid application of the law, that is, a literal interpretation. This is why he explained the moral foundation of the law with these words: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts" Deuteronomy 6:5-6. But this love that Moses wrote about, which is the love as a grace of God, begins with something simpler and more practical: the spiritual gift of fear of God. The fear of God, as taught in the Bible, is the desire to be instructed. And so the prophet taught that when the law is put into practice together with a well-disposed heart, that is when the law bears fruit of blessing; otherwise, it is a dead letter. And this is fundamental because when Israel lost its way through idolatry, the prophets recalled Moses's thought with other words. For Moses, the fear of God was also a very special memory, which he mentioned with these words: "Be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery" Deuteronomy 6:12. It is thus that when the law is put into practice with constancy and devotion, that is, put into practice with true fear, this leads men to that perfect love towards God, a love that is the culmination of the law and its perfection.

Before entering the city of Jerusalem, the divine master gave an important spiritual teaching about what the Kingdom of God means as a form of social organization, the communion, and its opposite, the oppression. And the story begins by telling how the mother of Zebedee's sons approached the Lord to ask that in his kingdom her sons would sit one at his right hand and one at his left. Jesus did not like the request this mother made at all. And when Jesus saw that his disciples were indignant at the request, to calm their tempers, the divine teacher warned that the struggle for worldly goods can lead society to oppression, so he reminded them of what happens to the pagans: "You know that the rulers of the unbelievers lord it over them and their superiors act like tyrants over them" Matthew 20:25. In other words, honors, money, and power are scarce resources, and when selfish struggles prevail, the majority are excluded from accessing them, resulting in suffering and oppression. This must not happen to the followers of Jesus. And then Jesus continued his teaching, saying that the woman's request, in the logic of the Kingdom of God, is counterproductive, and he taught it with these words: "That's not the way it should be among you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave" Matthew 20:26-27. Jesus made it clear that he did not want ambitious people who wanted to have and possess for themselves, but people committed to a mission: to redeem and rehabilitate the hopeless and oppressed in order to achieve communion, the life in common. In other words, the Kingdom of God is in conflict against the oppression and the worldly desires. Jesus, through his resurrection, overcame worldly people and oppression. And he left a clear message, the issue is not about sitting to the right or left of him, but about seeking true life, eternal life, because only those who conquer it through grace can be part of the family of God.

Eternal life is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith. Jesus, when speaking of this gift, was always very reserved, without giving too many explanations; it is very likely that, as the gospels expressed, the mysteries related to this gift were always given in private and not in public. And a very important clue about what this spiritual gift is like can be read in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, in the encounter of Jesus with a rich young man, when Jesus went to the holy city of Jerusalem to make his triumphal entry. The Gospel of Matthew recounts that a man approached Jesus and asked him: "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" Matthew 19:16. Without going into long speeches, Jesus simply answered him: "If you want to enter life, keep the commandments" Matthew 19:17. The rich young man who asked Jesus about eternal life surely expected this answer, and logically thought there was more about it or that Jesus was hiding something from him, and so he answered: "'I've obeyed all these commandments,' the young man replied. 'What else must I do?'" Matthew 19:20. Jesus then understood that the question had become more inquisitive, and so Jesus went to the heart of this person and told him to leave everything behind and follow him, as all his disciples had already done. And it was then that this young man understood that he had failed in his attempt to obtain this new spiritual life because he loved riches and could not follow Jesus. What Jesus ultimately taught with this is that the spiritual gift of eternal life is the reward for pure souls, who have made a spiritual development through listening to and practicing the word of God. Eternal life, as Jesus taught, is that hidden treasure and pearl of great price for which every believer must leave everything and fight with unwavering effort. Eternal life, then, is the same knowledge of God through the grace of the Holy Spirit as Jesus taught.

The Gospel of Matthew recounts that before beginning his final journey to the city of Jerusalem, Jesus was teaching in Capernaum when his disciples approached him with questions, such as who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God. And so Jesus began a long narrative about what it means to enter the Kingdom of God. At the conclusion of his teaching, the gospel recounts what happened next with these words: "Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times'" Matthew 18:21-22. Perhaps the disciple Peter asked this question because of some personal problem, whether a person should forgive others within a certain limit, but the truth is that Jesus answered him that entering the Kingdom of God means forgiving to the very end. And this spiritual teaching of Jesus falls within what he called the commandment of love. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught in practice what this love means: "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven" Matthew 5:44-45. Forgiveness in the Bible then takes on a new spiritual meaning in the doctrine of the kingdom of God, because unconditional love does not take into account the evil received. Forgiveness is a consequence of the grace of love, and this is what Jesus taught with wisdom to his disciple Peter. Forgiveness helps the giver and helps the receiver because it seeks to minimize the suffering for both. This is the underlying logic. Jesus was not a naive person, but he knew that human destructiveness cannot be fought with more destructiveness. And in understanding this truth lies true Christian wisdom.

The Book of Proverbs, within the sapiential literature of the Old Testament, holds profound spiritual significance. The wisdom taught in this book, written by King Solomon, allows Bible readers to delve deeper into the meaning of the law and how Israel, from ancient times, was a repository of the most excellent knowledge. To know the wisdom, which is the knowledge of the right means to live, is to know the only path to human happiness, and this is the fundamental message of this ancient book. No coaching, philosophy, or self-help can compare to the mysteries of wisdom, which, like a Russian nesting doll, are gradually revealed through the texts and reflections of the Book of Proverbs. And among its spiritual teachings, the Book of Proverbs expresses the following phrase for reflection: "Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free" Proverbs 11:21. This maxim teaches that there are two paths for humankind: sin and righteousness, and from these paths come their respective consequences. Those who choose the path of error and destructiveness, disregarding any short-term calculations, will ultimately face only one outcome: suffering and punishment. On the contrary, for those who are edifying and benevolent, happiness and true life await them as rewards. This is due to the fundamental ethical law, the law of sowing and reaping: "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind" Hosea 8:7, "Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster" Proverbs 22:8. Choosing the right path, according to the Book of Proverbs, is the only path to spiritual growth and personal development. Anything else is a deception, because ethical laws exist and cannot be ignored. And whoever manages to understand this and live it daily can consider himself a truly enlightened person.

The Book of Acts gives a very brief account of Paul's third missionary journey, and highlights especially the founding of the Church of Ephesus, where Paul preached for more than two years, performing unusual miracles and making many conversions to the Christian faith. During this journey, Paul wrote numerous epistles, such as the letter to the Romans, and probably, as recounted in the Book of Acts, he became aware that his third missionary journey would be his last journey in freedom. The Book of Acts relates that the apostle Paul, after the founding of the Church of Ephesus, went to Macedonia and then to Greece, where he stayed for three months preaching the gospel. Then, on his return, he went back to Macedonia, went to Troas, and arrived at Miletus. And once he arrived in Miletus, Paul called the elders of Ephesus to give the leaders of that Church his last pastoral address. Once he had met with the elders of Ephesus, Paul spoke to them about all his efforts to preach the Kingdom of God and lead them to eternal life. And he warned the elders of the danger that awaited them once he left, with these words: "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them" Acts 20:29. With this, Paul taught that the greatest threat to the early Church were the heresies brought by false teachers. And finally, Paul concluded his speech: "We must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'" Acts 20:35. And so, Paul said goodbye to the elders of Ephesus knowing his fate, but he was not discouraged because he knew that all his work had not been in vain and that the Holy Spirit was the guardian of the early Church.