“None were left among the people of the land except the poor.” 2 Kings 24:14
The line above immediately reminds me of the third beatitude as recorded in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the land”. From the 24th chapter of 2 Kings (below is the reading in its entirety), we learn that Jerusalem was besieged by the King of Babylon. The King of Judah, his mother, his ministers, his army, and all those who worked for him were suddenly “deported” from their kingdom. All who held political power and/or economic security were forced to abandon everything and surrender. The poor, however, remained unmoved. They remained firmly planted in the land of their ancestors. They had nothing to abandon, nothing to surrender, and nothing to to fear. No one could threaten the one thing that was provided them...abundant poverty.
I have heard many homilies encouraging the American Catholic to share his wealth with those who are less fortunate. On occasion the preacher may also reassure the wealthy that there is nothing wrong with having great material treasure; tagging on the warning," just don't be attached to it." (Unfortunately, what has lacked is instruction on how to exercise true detachment.) In my experience, there has been plenty of preaching about the poor, but little proclaiming of The Good News to the poor. Do our shepherds not notice the poor people sitting in the pews right beside the rich?
The Good News (to poor and soon-to-be poor alike), is that achieving holy poverty requires letting go of comforts, position and social esteem that could besiege our interior castle. It means ceasing our search for pleasures, security and reward so that our egos become disarmed and unable to conquer the the reign of Christ in our hearts. That Good News that tells us that they; the poor servants totally dependent on our Eternal King's fore-seeing goodness, are both free to love God alone; and, by abiding in His love, will remain unmoved by the empty promises of the world.
Why do we not hear more of this happy news? Why are we not told about how living free is granted only to the those captured by Christ's Love? Is it assumed that poverty does not exist inside our churches? Is it thought that Holy Poverty is so difficult, that no soul could really love Jesus enough to abandon all and surrender to the Gospel (and do so with rejoicing)?
Though encouraged to be thankful and generous; we are rarely reminded of the call to become like the One who became poor for us. Would we be truly happy if all we had to offer Jesus was to love Him back in the one same poverty with which He loves us? His Poverty?
Can Holy Poverty be acquired by the disciple? or is it Holy Poverty that makes one a disciple? (and fit for the Kingdom, I might add.)
Is spiritual poverty a gift to the disciple? Or is the disciple that gives himself over to Spirit of Poverty?
It is my prayer that I may go beyond counting my financial blessings. May I not be hesitant to accept fully what Christ meant when He proclaimed, "It is blessed to be poor!" It is worth exploring this truth about Holy Poverty: there is a unique happy-gratitude, joy, and interior freedom possessed by those who do find the greatest treasure is in having nothing at all...having nothing that could steal you away from Jesus.
May we remain happily unmoved in His poor Heart, forever.
Reading 1 2 Kgs 24:8-17
The line above immediately reminds me of the third beatitude as recorded in Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the land”. From the 24th chapter of 2 Kings (below is the reading in its entirety), we learn that Jerusalem was besieged by the King of Babylon. The King of Judah, his mother, his ministers, his army, and all those who worked for him were suddenly “deported” from their kingdom. All who held political power and/or economic security were forced to abandon everything and surrender. The poor, however, remained unmoved. They remained firmly planted in the land of their ancestors. They had nothing to abandon, nothing to surrender, and nothing to to fear. No one could threaten the one thing that was provided them...abundant poverty.
I have heard many homilies encouraging the American Catholic to share his wealth with those who are less fortunate. On occasion the preacher may also reassure the wealthy that there is nothing wrong with having great material treasure; tagging on the warning," just don't be attached to it." (Unfortunately, what has lacked is instruction on how to exercise true detachment.) In my experience, there has been plenty of preaching about the poor, but little proclaiming of The Good News to the poor. Do our shepherds not notice the poor people sitting in the pews right beside the rich?
The Good News (to poor and soon-to-be poor alike), is that achieving holy poverty requires letting go of comforts, position and social esteem that could besiege our interior castle. It means ceasing our search for pleasures, security and reward so that our egos become disarmed and unable to conquer the the reign of Christ in our hearts. That Good News that tells us that they; the poor servants totally dependent on our Eternal King's fore-seeing goodness, are both free to love God alone; and, by abiding in His love, will remain unmoved by the empty promises of the world.
The Good News (to poor and soon-to-be poor alike), is that achieving holy poverty requires letting go of comforts, position and social esteem that could besiege our interior castle. It means ceasing our search for pleasures, security and reward so that our egos become disarmed and unable to conquer the the reign of Christ in our hearts. That Good News that tells us that they; the poor servants totally dependent on our Eternal King's fore-seeing goodness, are both free to love God alone; and, by abiding in His love, will remain unmoved by the empty promises of the world.
Why do we not hear more of this happy news? Why are we not told about how living free is granted only to the those captured by Christ's Love? Is it assumed that poverty does not exist inside our churches? Is it thought that Holy Poverty is so difficult, that no soul could really love Jesus enough to abandon all and surrender to the Gospel (and do so with rejoicing)?
Though encouraged to be thankful and generous; we are rarely reminded of the call to become like the One who became poor for us. Would we be truly happy if all we had to offer Jesus was to love Him back in the one same poverty with which He loves us? His Poverty?
Can Holy Poverty be acquired by the disciple? or is it Holy Poverty that makes one a disciple? (and fit for the Kingdom, I might add.)
Is spiritual poverty a gift to the disciple? Or is the disciple that gives himself over to Spirit of Poverty?
It is my prayer that I may go beyond counting my financial blessings. May I not be hesitant to accept fully what Christ meant when He proclaimed, "It is blessed to be poor!" It is worth exploring this truth about Holy Poverty: there is a unique happy-gratitude, joy, and interior freedom possessed by those who do find the greatest treasure is in having nothing at all...having nothing that could steal you away from Jesus.
Reading 1 2 Kgs 24:8-17
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name was Nehushta,
daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
He did evil in the sight of the LORD,
just as his forebears had done.
At that time the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
himself arrived at the city
while his servants were besieging it.
Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother,
his ministers, officers, and functionaries,
surrendered to the king of Babylon, who,
in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive.
And he carried off all the treasures
of the temple of the LORD and those of the palace,
and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel,
had provided in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had foretold.
He deported all Jerusalem:
all the officers and men of the army, ten thousand in number,
and all the craftsmen and smiths.
None were left among the people of the land except the poor.
He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon,
and also led captive from Jerusalem to Babylon
the king’s mother and wives,
his functionaries, and the chief men of the land.
The king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon
all seven thousand men of the army,
and a thousand craftsmen and smiths,
all of them trained soldiers.
In place of Jehoiachin,
the king of Babylon appointed his uncle Mattaniah king,
and changed his name to Zedekiah.
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name was Nehushta,
daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
He did evil in the sight of the LORD,
just as his forebears had done.
At that time the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
himself arrived at the city
while his servants were besieging it.
Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother,
his ministers, officers, and functionaries,
surrendered to the king of Babylon, who,
in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive.
And he carried off all the treasures
of the temple of the LORD and those of the palace,
and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel,
had provided in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had foretold.
He deported all Jerusalem:
all the officers and men of the army, ten thousand in number,
and all the craftsmen and smiths.
None were left among the people of the land except the poor.
He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon,
and also led captive from Jerusalem to Babylon
the king’s mother and wives,
his functionaries, and the chief men of the land.
The king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon
all seven thousand men of the army,
and a thousand craftsmen and smiths,
all of them trained soldiers.
In place of Jehoiachin,
the king of Babylon appointed his uncle Mattaniah king,
and changed his name to Zedekiah.
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