Commentary on the Gospel of

Paulson Veliyannoor, CMF - Claretian Publications Philippines

Being Poor in Spirit

What exactly is this poverty in Spirit? We shall listen to a part of the 87th sermon of Meister Eckhart:

“As long as you have the will to do the will of God, and longing for eternity and God, you are not poor: you want something for yourself; for a poor man is one who wills nothing and desires nothing…. For a man to possess this poverty he must live so that he is unaware that he does not live for himself, or for truth, or for God…. That man should let God work as He will, and himself stand idle…. Of this poverty we declare that it is the highest poverty…. He is a poor man who does not know of the working of God within him. He who stands as free of knowledge and understanding as God stands of all things, has the purest poverty.”

Tough act! How do we realize this poverty then? The truth is, we don’t. God does.

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