Poor in Spirit

 What could better guide our lives during these divisive times than The Sermon in the Mount? What better way to describe its use in our daily lives? How could we live a better life than by using the lessons of this short sermon as our spiritual GIS device” Unfortunately a term from our attorney sisters and brothers comes to mind. They speak of practices followed “more in the breach than in the observance.”

As a test, consider the opening lines of the sermon:

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said:“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:1-3 NIV)

It is one of those passages that has puzzled readers for years. This becomes more apparent when Luke, believed by most scholars to have followed Matthew in writing his gospel, phrased it in this manner:

“Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20 NIV)

Some have suggested that Luke may have “cleaned and clarified” the original statement. The practice of aides or associates performing such censorship of problematic utterances of leaders is certainly not lost on modern Americans.

Of course, it could have been the other way around.

At any rate, Matthew’s account resounds not in spite of, but because of, its literary elegance. Considering Luke’s version, though, we might first seek a definition of the word “poor.” Two common terms we find associated with it are “scarcity,” and “marginalized.” The first poses no problem. The second rings to this very day as those without the power purchased through wealth are much ignored and disempowered. This includes the ability to control things, or take individual control of one’s destiny.

It applies to spiritual matters as well. It would be nearly two centuries after the Galilean spoke before Johannes Gutenberg and Martin Luther would combine to make personal reading and interpretation of the gospels possible. Until then, common folks would live with, yes, a scarcity of spirit. Somehow, we forgot that wandering rabbi on a desolate hill in Judea wishing blessings on the most marginalized and preaching for a wholeness in life.

Why were those suffering from spiritual bankruptcy blessed? Maybe the Galilean realized that such spiritual poverty removed all obstacles existing between a person and righteousness on the lonely road of life. That is an interesting thought in these times when we find ourselves deluged with teachings from one end of the political divide that personal economic poverty is the fault of the person and the poor deserve no blessings as a result. They deserve, instead, to wallow in scarcity.

Sad also is the prevalent feeling from the opposite end of the political divide that once a sinner, always a sinner. Even a life of redemption and goodness cannot cancel one sin. Even declaring spiritual bankruptcy, removing the barriers to righteousness, and choosing a new path are not sufficient to gain the kingdom of heaven.