Striving for Poverty in Spirit

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, 

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3)

In his Message for the World Youth Day 2014, Pope Francis says:

"You might ask me, then: What can we do, specifically, to make poverty in spirit a way of life, a real part of our own lives? I will reply by saying three things.

1. Try to be free with regard to material things.
2. Experience a conversion in the way we see the poor. We have to care for them and be sensitive to their spiritual and material needs.
3. The poor are not just people to whom we can give something. They have much to offer us and to teach us ... about humility and trust in God."

Do read the Message to get his explanation. It's a wonderful document that says so much more than what I've quoted above.


For this post, I'd like to reflect on these three things in my life.

1. Try to be free with regard to material things.

Detachment from material things is something I have been consciously striving for from a young age. Way back in high school, the only material things I cared for -- and spent my allowance on -- were books. And then I had a family at a young age; a sure way to limit, if not totally obliterate, one's discretionary income. Between wanting stuff and staying sane, I opted to detach and keep insanity at bay.

But recently I got a nudge that I still have to be aware of the pitfall of desire and envy for stuff. Sometime in the middle of last year I discovered eBay. I actually went so far as to order an iPad online. The ad called for a cash deposit, but before I could make it, my children warned me not to. After all, how could I be sure to get the product after depositing the cash. They asked me if I had even checked out the seller's credentials. They also advised me to schedule a meet-up instead. So I tried to call the seller and I texted a few times. As they warned, I never got to arrange a meet-up.

Six months later two of my children have hand-me-down iPads and I still don't have one. And one morning a strange but familiar voice inside me whined "Why do they have iPads and I still don't. Didn't I say I wanted one six months ago?"

I know it's just me talking to myself, but I was still surprised. I thought I'd successfully vanquished the green monster decades ago. I had not. I've realized I still have to be on the watch against him, or else I might one day find him overcoming me.

2. Experience a conversion in the way we see the poor. We have to care for them and be sensitive to their spiritual and material needs.

One of the major life adjustments of marrying young, for me, was having to take public transport. When I was younger, there was always a car and driver to take me and my siblings to and from school and wherever we wanted to go. But then I had to learn how to commute, and at some point had no choice but to take public transport.

This opened up a whole new world to me. I saw and met people I would never have known about had I remained cocooned in an air conditioned car. Not just the people in the vehicles with me but the poor people on the street. And while I have tried to be sensitive to the material needs of the poor I have encountered -- sharing food when I have some; giving some money when asked; even giving away a jacket I was wearing to an old man in the rain -- this is the first time I have been confronted with the fact that I should also be sensitive to their spiritual needs. More thought on this needed!

3. The poor are not just people to whom we can give something. They have much to offer us and to teach us ... about humility and trust in God.

Sometimes when I see poor old people on the street selling stuff or doing some kind of hard labor, I think to myself I would not be as indefatigable. I imagine I would just quit working, sit on the sidewalk and beg. An attitude which points out I don't think very much of beggars. But this message from Pope Francis makes me think that beggars are the best teachers of humility. Maybe it is not that easy to be a beggar. Humility is easy when one chooses to be humble, but having it thrust upon oneself, I am made to think now, could also be a very painful experience.

Also, there is some irony in learning to trust in God from the poor. If trusting in God works, and the poor trust in God, should not God reward the poor and lift them from their poverty? But they remain poor! So how do we learn trust in God from them? Even more thought needed on this.


What about you? How do these three "things" work out for you?