Christian Mission and Poverty

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Christian Mission and Poverty

O holy poverty, God promises the kingdom of heaven And, of course, Gives eternal glory and a happy life To those who possess and desire it! O noble poverty That the Lord Jesus Christ, who ruled And is ruling heaven and earth, And who spoke and all things were made, Chose to embrace before anything else!

For foxes have dens, scripture says, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man, who is Christ, has nowhere to lay his head; instead, bowing his head, he handed over his spirit. If, then, such a great Lord when coming into the virgin’s womb chose to appear contemptible, needy, and poor in this world so that human beings, who were utterly poor and needy, suffering from a dire lack of heavenly food, might be made rich in him by means of the kingdom of heaven that they will indeed possess, exalt exceedingly and rejoice, filled with great joy and spiritual happiness. Because—since contempt of the world has pleased you more than its honors; poverty more than temporal riches; and storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth where neither rust consumes them, nor moth destroys them, and thieves do not dig them up and steal them— your most abundant reward is in heaven, and you have quite fittingly deserved to be called sister, spouse, and