The Poor In Spirit

Beati pauperes spiritu... Quamvis ipsas beatitudines exponat ex parte et evangelista Lucas, tamen istae beatitudines perfectiores illis intelligendae sunt: quoniam illae in loco campestri dictae sunt, istae autem perfectis super montem. Illae mediocribus, istae autem perfectis, et rectoribus populorum, sicut fuerent apostoli, ad quos dicate sunt haec: cujus differentiae rationem largius exposuimus ibi Ideo illic simpliciter pauperes dixit: hic autem pauperes spiritu. Pauper spiritu est humilis corde: id est, pauperem spiritum habens, qui non magna sapit de se. Sicut ex diverso dives spiritu intelligitur magna de se sapiens, et superbus, qui non implet mandatum Christi dicentis: Nisi conversi facti fueritis sicut puer iste, non intrabitis in regnum caelorum. Qui enim jam conversus factus est sicut puer, ille est et pauper spiritu. Et qui pauper est spiritu, ille conversus factus est sicut puer. Et secundum testimonium quidem Christi, et Apostoloi, Plenitudo legis dilectio est; tamen nutrix dilectionis humilitas est, et totius mali odii mater superbia. Ergo totius boni initium humilitas est, et totius mali superbia. Denique et perditionis initium a superbia coepit per diabolum, initiumque salutis ab humilitate per Christum, propterea convenienter et omnium beatitudinum humilitatem fecit initium. Et quare non manifeste dixit, Beati humiles spiritu? Ego hunc potui tantumodo rationis invenire colorem, ut non solum humiles ostendat, sed etiam indigentes humiles, qui sic sunt humiles, ut semper adjutorium Dei sent mendicantes. Unde in Graeco non dicit, Beati pauperes, sed, Beati egeni, vel Beati mendici. Nam pauper est, qui angustiam quidem habet, non autem tantam, ut mendicare cogatur. Secundum quam differentiam et propheta dicit: Beatus qui intelligit super mendicum et pauperem. Ergo ideo dicit, Beati mendici spiritu, ut in ultima necessitate humiles ostendat. Si ergo dixisset, Beati humiles spiritu, nihil amplius significasset, quam humiles, nunc autem et humiles, et secundum fidem humiles, et intelligentes unde sit adjutorium hominis. Sunt enim multi naturaliter humiles spiritu, et non ex fide. Hi tales non pulsant adjutorium Dei. Qui autem secundum fidem humiles sunt, et intelligentes, dum nimis timent de se, adjutorium Dei pulsare non cessant. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia IX Source: Migne PG 56.680

Blessed are the poor in spirit... 1 Although the Evangelist Luke expounds these beatitudes, these ones here should be understood as being more perfect than them, because those were spoken on the plain and these to the perfect on the mount. 2 Those were for the middling, these for the perfect, even to the leaders of the people, as the Apostles were, to whom these were spoken, the reason for which difference we have explained more broadly there. Therefore in Luke He says simply 'the poor' 3 but here it is 'the poor in spirit.' The one who is poor in spirit is humble in heart, that is, he who has a poor spirit is who does not think great things about himself. So in contrast the rich in spirit thinks great things of himself, and is proud, and is one who does not fulfill the commandment of Christ, which says: 'Unless you turn and become like this child, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' 4 For he who turns and becomes as a child, he is poor in spirit. And he who is poor is spirit, he has become like a child. And according to the testimony of Christ and of the Apostle, 'The fulness of the Law is love.' 5 The nurse of love is humility, and the mother of all hateful evil is pride. Therefore the beginning of all good is humility, and the beginning of all evil is pride. Finally the beginning of ruin came by pride through the devil, and the beginning of salvation by humility through Christ, on account of which it is fitting that humility is the beginning of all the beatitudes. But why did He not openly say: 'Blessed are the humble in spirit?' This is the only reason I have been able to find for it, that not only does He show them humble, but even needy in their humility, who as they are humble are always begging for the help of God. Whence in the Greek it does not say, 'Blessed are the poor' but 'Blessed are the needy,' or 'Blessed are the beggars.' For a poor man is he who suffers distress, but not so great that he is forced to beg. According to which difference the prophet says: 'Blessed are those who think on the beggar and the poor man.' 6 Therefore He says, 'Blessed are the beggars in spirit,' so that in the last necessity He shows the humble. If, then, He had said: 'Blessed are the humble in spirit,' he would not have signified anything more than the humble, but now even the humble and the humble according to faith, who have understanding from where comes help to men. For there are many who are naturally humble in spirit, but not from faith. Such ones do not knock for the help of God. But those who are humble according to faith, and understand, while they have great fear for themselves, they do not cease to knock for the help of God. Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from Homily 9 1 Mt 5.3 2 Lk 6.17 3 Lk 6.20 4 Mt 18.3 5 Rom 13.10 6 Ps 40.2