Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit “ Blessed are the poor in spirit,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The First Beatitude The first beatitude is taken directly from the text of Isaiah which Jesus chose to comment on in the synagogue at Nazareth: “. . . The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. . .Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing (Lk. 4:16-21)” The English language doesn’t do justice to the meaning behind the word poor. Typically we think of material poverty, but the word as it was used in Christ’s time encompasses material, moral, spiritual and religious levels.

The first beatitude is taken directly from the text of Isaiah which Jesus chose to comment on in the synagogue at Nazareth: “. . . The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. . .Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing (Lk. 4:16-21)”

The English language doesn’t do justice to the meaning behind the word poor.

Typically we think of material poverty, but the word as it was used in Christ’s time encompasses material, moral, spiritual and religious levels.

The rich man possesses wealth, but he becomes proud of it and thinks he is superior to others. He is powerful in the city and uses his authority for his own interests, even to the point of committing injustices. Thinking he is self-sufficient, he does not experience dependence on God, and does not fear Him. The poor man, who is used to being treated with injustice and disrespect, has a strong sense of his need for God’s help. He will be humble and trusting before God, and completely willing to keep His law. This is the kind of poverty the Gospel is speaking of. It associates poverty with littleness.

The rich man possesses wealth, but he becomes proud of it and thinks he is superior to others. He is powerful in the city and uses his authority for his own interests, even to the point of committing injustices.

Thinking he is self-sufficient, he does not experience dependence on God, and does not fear Him.

The poor man, who is used to being treated with injustice and disrespect, has a strong sense of his need for God’s help.

He will be humble and trusting before God, and completely willing to keep His law.

This is the kind of poverty the Gospel is speaking of. It associates poverty with littleness.

Littleness “  3  and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,  you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  4  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 18:3-4). Certainly, child like humility is of great value in our pursuit of heaven.

“  3  and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,  you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

 4  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 18:3-4).

Certainly, child like humility is of great value in our pursuit of heaven.

Poverty Linked to Humility Poverty is linked to humility, as in the Magnificat which speaks of Mary’s blessedness: “For He has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness . . . He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty” (Lk. 1:48-53). Materially rich or poor, if you are poor in spirit, if you are humble, if you approach God in your littleness, then you know that you need God in your life. You have met the fulfilled the first Beatitude.

Poverty is linked to humility, as in the Magnificat which speaks of Mary’s blessedness: “For He has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness . . .

He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty” (Lk. 1:48-53).

Materially rich or poor, if you are poor in spirit, if you are humble, if you approach God in your littleness, then you know that you need God in your life.

You have met the fulfilled the first Beatitude.