How to practise richness of spirit in the midst of actual poverty.
But if you are truly poor, most dear Philothea, O God! strive to be poor in spirit as well: make a virtue of necessity, and employ this precious stone of poverty for what it is worth. It appears dim to the eyes of the world, which knows not its value; yet its splendour is admirable, and it is of great price.
Take courage: you are in good company. Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, the apostles, and so many holy men and women have been poor; and though they could have been rich, they disdained to be so. How many great ones of the world, through a thousand difficulties, have eagerly gone in search of holy poverty in cloisters and hospitals! They took great pains to find it; witness Saint Alexis, Saint Paula, Saint Paulinus, Saint Angela, and so many others. And lo, Philothea, more gracious and more forward, it comes of itself to present itself at your door; you meet it without seeking it, you obtain it without any trouble. Oh, then embrace it as the dear friend of Jesus Christ, who was born, lived, and died in poverty, which was His nurse throughout His life.
Your poverty, Philothea, has two great advantages, by means of which it can enable you to merit much. The first is that it has not come to you by your own choice, but solely by the will of God, Who has made you poor, without your own will having contributed thereto in any way. Now, that which we receive purely from the will of God is always very pleasing to Him, provided that we receive it with a willing heart, and for love of His holy will; where there is less of our own, there is more of God. The simple and pure acceptance of God’s will makes a state very meritorious.
But if you are truly poor, most dear Philothea, O God! strive to be poor in spirit as well: make a virtue of necessity, and employ this precious stone of poverty for what it is worth. It appears dim to the eyes of the world, which knows not its value; yet its splendour is admirable, and it is of great price.
Take courage: you are in good company. Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, the apostles, and so many holy men and women have been poor; and though they could have been rich, they disdained to be so. How many great ones of the world, through a thousand difficulties, have eagerly gone in search of holy poverty in cloisters and hospitals! They took great pains to find it; witness Saint Alexis, Saint Paula, Saint Paulinus, Saint Angela, and so many others. And lo, Philothea, more gracious and more forward, it comes of itself to present itself at your door; you meet it without seeking it, you obtain it without any trouble. Oh, then embrace it as the dear friend of Jesus Christ, who was born, lived, and died in poverty, which was His nurse throughout His life.
Your poverty, Philothea, has two great advantages, by means of which it can enable you to merit much. The first is that it has not come to you by your own choice, but solely by the will of God, Who has made you poor, without your own will having contributed thereto in any way. Now, that which we receive purely from the will of God is always very pleasing to Him, provided that we receive it with a willing heart, and for love of His holy will; where there is less of our own, there is more of God. The simple and pure acceptance of God’s will makes a state very meritorious.
The second advantage of this poverty is that it is truly poor poverty. A poverty praised, caressed, esteemed, succoured and assisted partakes of wealth, or at least ceases to be poor; but a poverty despised, rejected, reproached and abandoned is truly poor poverty. Now, such is ordinarily the poverty of those who live in the world; for, since they are not poor by choice, but by necessity, little account is made of them. And by that very fact that little account is made of them, their poverty is poorer than that of religious, although the latter has great excellence and is rendered highly commendable by reason of the vow and the intention that led them to choose it.
Therefore, do not complain, my dear Philothea, of your poverty; for one complains only of what displeases, and if poverty displeases you, you are no longer poor in spirit, but rich in affection.
Do not grieve that you are not succoured as well as would be necessary; for therein lies the excellence of poverty. To wish to be poor, and not to wish to suffer any inconvenience from it, is too great an ambition, for it is to wish for the honour of poverty and the comfort of riches.
Be not ashamed to be poor, nor to ask alms as an act of charity. Receive with humility what is given you; bear refusal with gentleness. Often recall the journey the Blessed Virgin made into Egypt, to carry thither her dear Child, and how much contempt, fatigue and misery she had to endure. If you live in this way, you will be very rich in your poverty.
Therefore, do not complain, my dear Philothea, of your poverty; for one complains only of what displeases, and if poverty displeases you, you are no longer poor in spirit, but rich in affection.
Do not grieve that you are not succoured as well as would be necessary; for therein lies the excellence of poverty. To wish to be poor, and not to wish to suffer any inconvenience from it, is too great an ambition, for it is to wish for the honour of poverty and the comfort of riches.
Be not ashamed to be poor, nor to ask alms as an act of charity. Receive with humility what is given you; bear refusal with gentleness. Often recall the journey the Blessed Virgin made into Egypt, to carry thither her dear Child, and how much contempt, fatigue and misery she had to endure. If you live in this way, you will be very rich in your poverty.