Poverty of Heart
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Jesus enjoins his disciples to prefer Him to everything and everyone and bids them 'renounce all that they have' for his sake and that of the Gospel. Shortly before his passion he gave them the example of the poor widow of Jerusalem who, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on. The precept of detachment from riches is obligatory for entrance into the Kingdom of heaven. All Christ's faithful are to 'direct their affections rightly, lest they be hindered in their pursuit of perfect charity by the use of worldly things and by an adherence to riches which is contrary to the spirit of evangelical poverty.' 'Blessed are the poor in spirit.' The Beautitudes reveal an order of happiness and grace, of beauty and peace. Jesus celebrates the joy of the poor, to whom the Kingdom already belongs: The Word speaks of voluntary humility as 'poverty in spirit'; the Apostles gives an example of God's poverty when he says: 'For your sakes he became poor.'
The Lord grieves over the rich, because they find their consolation in the abundance of goods. 'Let the proud seek and love earthly kingdoms, but blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.' Abandonment to the providence of the Father in heaven frees us from anxiety about tomorrow. Trust in God is a preparation for the blessedness of the poor. They shall see God. Desire for true happiness frees man from his immoderate attachment to the goods of this world so that he can find his fulfillment in the vision and beatitude of God. 'The promise of seeing God surpasses all beatitude...In Scripture, to see is to possess...Whoever sees God has obtained all the goods of which he can conceive.' It remains for the holy people to struggle, with grace from on high, to obtain the good things God promises. In order to possess and contemplate God, Christ's faithful mortify their cravings and, with the grace of God, prevail over the seductions of pleasure and power."
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Nos. 2544-2549
The Lord grieves over the rich, because they find their consolation in the abundance of goods. 'Let the proud seek and love earthly kingdoms, but blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.' Abandonment to the providence of the Father in heaven frees us from anxiety about tomorrow. Trust in God is a preparation for the blessedness of the poor. They shall see God. Desire for true happiness frees man from his immoderate attachment to the goods of this world so that he can find his fulfillment in the vision and beatitude of God. 'The promise of seeing God surpasses all beatitude...In Scripture, to see is to possess...Whoever sees God has obtained all the goods of which he can conceive.' It remains for the holy people to struggle, with grace from on high, to obtain the good things God promises. In order to possess and contemplate God, Christ's faithful mortify their cravings and, with the grace of God, prevail over the seductions of pleasure and power."
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Nos. 2544-2549
Important Note: Money is a controversial subject for many people. It should be recognized that this subject of wealth is about those who prefer wealth in place of God, not for the normal working class person who devotes their life to God. People must not have an unhealthy attachment to money because greed and pride are two of the 7 capital sins that the Church warns about. God does allow people to work in order to earn their keep and to prepare for the future. It is our duty to help our neighbor in order to relieve poverty and suffering with the money we are fortunate enough to have. Although we prepare for our future, we still must pray and rely on God and Our Lord Jesus to help us and see us through any difficulty that may arise. The religious do give up whatever money they have and take a vow of poverty to follow Jesus. According to Scripture in Matthew 6:33, it states, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Therefore, we must all seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first in our lives, then God will bless us with the necessities of life and, if he so chooses, with what we ask of Him in petition and prayer.
