POVERTY BEFORE GOD

When we know the blessing of spiritual poverty we are immediately ready to understand, and undertake, our own misery and sin and the sin of those around us. We understand the human condition that is common to everyone. This is true because all people need other people. Those who need no one are at the depths of mental, emotional and social poverty. At some level of human experience each person knows they are poor and totally insufficient before God. It is for those who have accepted and undertaken the blessing of spiritual poverty to reach out to those who cannot find their way because they walk alone in self-suffering and with the delusion of self-wealth.

The blessed that have the kingdom of heaven are those who have come to humility about their personal ability, strength, and richness. They can then go to God, and to others, with an attitude of respect and appreciation, of total welcome and acceptance, and complete identification; which allows each one to open up to their own poverty before God. The person belonging to the kingdom of God goes into the parts of the world that are not yet like the kingdom of God and they go vulnerable, poor, and weak with a confidence that there is no greater strength than daring to be weak in this way. It is daring to be spiritually poor. It is brave to be spiritually poor.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus