Part III, Chapter XVI

How to Practise Riches of Spirit in Real Poverty

But if you be really poor, dear Philothea, be likewise, for God’s sake, actually poor in spirit: make a virtue of necessity, and value this precious jewel of poverty at the high rate it deserves: its lustre is not discovered in this world, and yet it is exceedingly rich and beautiful.

Be patient; you are in good company; our Lord himself, his blessed mother, the apostles, and innumerable saints, both men and women, have been poor; nay, even when they might have been rich, they refused to be so. How many great personages have there been, who, in spite of contradictions from the world, have gone to seek after holy poverty in cloisters and hospitals, and took indefatigable pains to find her! Witness St. Alexius, St. Paula, St. Paulinus, St. Angela, and so many others; and behold, Philothea, this holy poverty, more gracious towards you, comes to present herself to you in your own lodging; you have met her without being at the trouble of seeking after her; embrace her, then, as the dear friend of Jesus Christ, who was born, who lived, and who died in poverty; poverty was his nurse during the whole course of his life.

Your poverty, Philothea, enjoys two great privileges, by means of which you may considerably enhance its merits. The first is, that she came not to you by choice, but by the will of God, who has made you poor, without any concurrence of your own will. Now, that which we receive purely from the will of God is always very agreeable to him, provided that we receive it with a good heart, and through a love of his holy will; where there is least of our own there is most of God; the simple and pure acceptance of God’s will makes our offerings extremely pure.

The second privilege of this kind of poverty is that it is truly poverty. That poverty which is praised, caressed, esteemed, succored, and assisted is nearly allied to riches; at least, it is not altogether poverty; but that which is despised, rejected, reproached, and abandoned, is poverty indeed. Such is ordinary poverty; for, as the poor are not poor by their own choice, but from necessity, their poverty is not much esteemed, for which reason their poverty exceeds that of the religious; although otherwise the poverty of the religious has a very great excellency, and is much more commendable, by reason of the vow, and of the intention for which it is chosen.

Complain not, then, my dear Philothea, of your poverty; for we never complain out of that which displeases us; and if poverty displease you, you are no longer poor in spirit, but rich in affection.

Be not disconsolate for your not being so well assisted as might appear necessary; for in this consists the excellence of poverty. To be willing to be poor, and not to feel the hardships of poverty, is to desire the honor of poverty with the convenience of riches.

Be not ashamed to be poor, nor to ask alms in charity. Receive with humility what shall be given you, and bear the denial with meekness. Frequently remember the journey our blessed Lady undertook into Egypt, to preserve the life of her dear Son, and how much contempt, poverty, and misery she was obliged to suffer; provided you live thus, you will be very rich in your poverty.

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