Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Catechism states that the beatitudes are exclusive to Christ’s disciples and define the Christian life:
[T]hey shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life; they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations; they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ’s disciples (CCC, 1717).
“Blessed” here could also be translated “happy”:
The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it (CCC: 1718).
By referring to the “poor in spirit”, Jesus does not just limit this promise to the impoverished but extends it to all of his followers enduring distress and who acknowledge their dependence on God.
One example of this…
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