Church of the poor

Jesus Christ began His ministry in the Sermon on the Mount with the first beatitude, Blessed are the poor
in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God It is the spirit of the anawim, the poor of Yahweh whose life
means total dependence on His providence; one who humbly acknowledges his nothingness.
In the Churchs social teaching nobody is rich before God. Man is simply a steward of wealth in this
transient world. Any possessions he may have are lent for his temporal sojourn and these must be used for
the glory of the Almighty through the service of others. He ought to be warily cognizant of the danger that
riches bring, as Christ points out in the Parable of the Sower and the Seed (Mat 13:22; Mk 4:19; Lk 8:14).
The Church of the Poor is the community of the anawim (poor). A wealthy person is called to be as much
a member of it as the dirt poor who places his reliance on God. However, should either one think
themselves self sufficient and independent of God the rich smug in his wealth, the poor desirous of
affluence through anti Gospel means then neither rightfully belongs to the Church of the Poor nor fit for
the Kingdom. Both the rich possessed by possessions and the poor obsessed with possessions are not poor
in spirit but worldly rich.
For the poor to enter the Kingdom seems easier since divine providence is their sole hope and recourse.
The rich meanwhile face the peril of a false self sufficiency and distractions that lure away from the
mission for which, all the prosperous of this world have a calling: Much will be required of the person
entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more Lk 12:48.
John Paul II teaches that everyone is a gift to one another: Our freedom has a relational dimension; we
find fulfillment through the gift of self to others. This is what completes the single, two-fold
commandment of love for God and neighbor. The poor will always be with us and we can only be rich by
being our brothers keeper. What richness we reap is a detachment to bondage of wealth, and the joy of
childlike trust in God that cannot be purchased. This makes us poor in spirit and in communion with the
Church of the Poor.
Adam and Eve had everything they ever needed but both fell to the temptation to be self sufficient apart
from God. In our contemporary fast paced world of rapid change, technological advances and razzle-
dazzle of events, we can forget whom our entire lives really depend on and fall to the same primeval
temptation. Realize then that without God we are nothing. An old Spanish proverb is an apt reminder: El
hombre propone y Dios dispone. Man proposes and God disposes.
Am I poor?
Does it mean considering all property belonging to God? Yes, we are called to always keep ourselves in
perspective of God, acknowledging and thanking Him as the source of all good things.Does it mean being
good stewards of that with which we have been entrusted? Yes, we are called to take care of what we
have been given, not only for our own benefit but for others as well.Does it mean having a spirit of
thankfulness towards God? Yes, we are called to be thankful people.Does it mean being detached from
those things we own? Yes, what we own should never control us nor consume us in the endless pursuit of
possesions.Does it mean denying ourselves at times? Yes, we need to consider not ourselves but others in
our decisions and at times sacrificing something we want to help another is the right decision.Does it
mean respecting those who serve us? Yes, when people serve us, we should not consider them less than
ourselves, putting them down in our thoughts, actions, or words.Does it mean respecting everyone around
us, regardless of their circumstance in life? Yes, everyone is deserving of respect as human beings,
regardless of whether they are earthly poor or rich, whether they have lots of power or none at all, or
whether they have exceptional skills or not.Poor in Spirit means acknowledging God's ownership of
everything and that we are responsible to be good stewards of those things with which we have be
blessed. Our attitude should be one of faithful servants and not one of pride, envy, lust, and gluttony. We
are called to use what we have and are given to provide for ourself and serve God's people.