THE SEVEN BOOKS OF WISDOM
"Whatsoever things have been written have been written for our instruction."
The Sultan of Arabia, a man named Haroun, was very anxious to be the wisest man on earth. He spent most of his life studying. One day he learned of a man who lived which contained all the wisdom of the world in them. He went to the man and said that he wanted to buy the seven books, so that he himself could become the wisest man on earth. "What is your price?" asked Haroun. The man replied, "My price is half your kingdom." Haroun was very angry and said, "That is too much." Without a word the man took three of the books and threw them into the fire. "What is the price of the other four?" asked Haroun "The price of four is the same as the price of seven," said the man. "That is too much," said Haroun getting angrier all the time. Without a word the man took three of the books and threw them in the fire. "I will buy the one you have left" said Haroun, "What is the price?" The man replied, "The price of one is the same as the price of seven-half of your kingdom." Haroun bought the one book and paid the same price that he would have paid for the seven of them. St. Paul tells us in his Epistle, "Whatsoever things have been written, have been written for our instruction." Everything that the Church teaches is taught to us for our own good. Now these are not very nice days for children to grow up in, because people do not listen to the teachings of the Church the way they should. You hear people saying, "I am going to get a divorce." I am going to marry a divorced man." "I am not going to let anyone tell me what to do." When you hear these things remember the story of Haroun and the wise man. Haroun had to pay the same price. If he had paid willingly in the first place he would have received greater value. People who defy the Church must pay the price. They must follow the teachings of Christ eventually or lose their souls. The price remains the same but you get less for it if you do not pay willingly. Make up your minds now that you will never go against the teachings of the Church, because the teachings of the Church are the teachings of Christ. They are taught to us for our own good. "Whatever things have been written have been written for our instruction."
Each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass,
A book of rules;
And each must make,
Ere life has flown,
A stumbling block,
Or a stepping stone.
- Heirs of the Kingdom ~ Imprimatur: 1949 ~
"Whatsoever things have been written have been written for our instruction."
The Sultan of Arabia, a man named Haroun, was very anxious to be the wisest man on earth. He spent most of his life studying. One day he learned of a man who lived which contained all the wisdom of the world in them. He went to the man and said that he wanted to buy the seven books, so that he himself could become the wisest man on earth. "What is your price?" asked Haroun. The man replied, "My price is half your kingdom." Haroun was very angry and said, "That is too much." Without a word the man took three of the books and threw them into the fire. "What is the price of the other four?" asked Haroun "The price of four is the same as the price of seven," said the man. "That is too much," said Haroun getting angrier all the time. Without a word the man took three of the books and threw them in the fire. "I will buy the one you have left" said Haroun, "What is the price?" The man replied, "The price of one is the same as the price of seven-half of your kingdom." Haroun bought the one book and paid the same price that he would have paid for the seven of them. St. Paul tells us in his Epistle, "Whatsoever things have been written, have been written for our instruction." Everything that the Church teaches is taught to us for our own good. Now these are not very nice days for children to grow up in, because people do not listen to the teachings of the Church the way they should. You hear people saying, "I am going to get a divorce." I am going to marry a divorced man." "I am not going to let anyone tell me what to do." When you hear these things remember the story of Haroun and the wise man. Haroun had to pay the same price. If he had paid willingly in the first place he would have received greater value. People who defy the Church must pay the price. They must follow the teachings of Christ eventually or lose their souls. The price remains the same but you get less for it if you do not pay willingly. Make up your minds now that you will never go against the teachings of the Church, because the teachings of the Church are the teachings of Christ. They are taught to us for our own good. "Whatever things have been written have been written for our instruction."
Each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass,
A book of rules;
And each must make,
Ere life has flown,
A stumbling block,
Or a stepping stone.
- Heirs of the Kingdom ~ Imprimatur: 1949 ~
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