Poor In Spirit

by: Paolo Gonzales Sr.-F

The beatitude that struck me the most is “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. This beatitude means a lot to me because in the world that we live in today, people are very materialistic and greedy. They are the kind of people that are very attached to earthly pleasures and ignore their religious life. Those who are poor in spirit are people that value their relationship with God. These people love God and lived their lives in the footsteps of Christ, so in turn, God will let them enter the kingdom of heaven.
This beatitude shows me that one does not have to be rich and successful in life to be loved by God. By following my calling and living my life to the fullest, I will have achieved what God planned for me so that I may enter heaven.
Growing up, my parents came from not so fortunate families. But through hard work and prayers, they were able to be good role models to our family because they do what they do with love and prayers. They taught me that one does not need materials goods to make the most of life.
I find the beatitude “Blessed are those persecuted for the sake of “righteousness” the hardest to follow because it means abandoning whatever your beliefs are for the better good. This beatitude involves defending what is right and resisting other temptations.
If we were all to follow these eight beatitudes, then we can make the world better for all those who are less fortunate than us. With more love and care in our everyday routines, we can be a light to our neighbors and inspire them to be the best that they can be. Whatever our vocation may be, we should do our best to follow in Jesus’ footsteps not only to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but to be good soldiers of Christ.