Tag: Poor

Theirs is the Kingdom

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” –Matthew 5:3

The juxtaposition of the poor in spirit and the kingdom of heaven is intriguing. It’s nothing and everything at the same time. Why does the poor in spirit receive the kingdom of heaven? I think this has much to do about humility, for God only gives grace to the humble—to those who are open to receive. No wonder why it’s “easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”. It’s because a rich man “owns” the kingdom of the world. He has the false sense of security for his life, being wealthy in materials things. It’s hard for a rich person to think he needs anything else when he feels he has everything already. And that’s the very reason why he will find it extremely difficult to receive the kingdom of heaven. In order to receive the kingdom of God, one has to be willing to forsake the kingdom of the world.

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” –Matthew 16:25

The key to the kingdom of heaven is being poor in spirit. It’s about having a vulnerable disposition and coming to the Lord as children do, with arms wide open, holding on to nothing, so as to hold on to everything from our Father. He wants to give us His Kingdom. He wants to give us His love. He wants us to know that what He gives is all that we need.

I’ve realized that to desire and have everything of this world, is to have nothing at all. But to desire and have nothing of this world, is to have everything of God.

“And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, ‘One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’ But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich.” – Luke 18:22-23

You’re Doing Good

Building the Church of the Home and Building the Church of the Poor. This is the mission and pillars of Couples for Christ. It is through the family and poor that we truly experience the Love of God and I’m so happy to be part of a community that recognizes and prioritizes this.

God has revealed Himself throughout the Bible using familial terms (Father, Son, Daughter, Children, Bride, Groom, Spouse, etc.) He Himself is a family (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). This tells us how important the concept of family is to Him and how much He wants to reveal himself to us and wants to bless the world through the domestic church.

He has also shown His love for the poor by being born in a manger and raised in the little town of Bethlehem. He spent His whole life with the most destitute in body, mind, and soul, and cared for them throughout His ministry by healing their ailments in every way.

It is obvious that what’s important to God is family and the poor, and throughout salvation history He has tried instilling these values in us through His covenants and teachings.

It is no wonder we truly experience the love of our Blessed Lord in this community where its mission is founded on what God Himself loves. We are blessed to be following in the anointing of this community because we can rest assured that we are pleasing the Lord by taking to heart what’s so much in His heart—the family and the poor.

So let us continue building the Church of the Home and building the Church of the Poor simply because we know it pleases our Lord and it consoles His Sacred Heart.

“Couples for Christ, you’re doing good… you’re doing good.” –Benedict XVI

Amen.