Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“blessed are the poor in spirit.”

This beatitude is about spiritual humility – and ambition - not low self-esteem. This blessing is there to help us realise that we are made for far more than on our own we can achieve.

Blessedness, far more than just happiness, comes to humble - feet on the ground - people who recognize their spiritual need for God.

As I prepared this homily, the image that came to my mind was that of a beautifully designed airplane sitting on a natural runway knowing it needs fuel and its pilot an instruction manual if it is to take off and fly into super-nature – above nature - into God.

Life has taught me that we all need God’s graces  - faith, hope and love - which come through the sacraments and our communities.

Thanks to God’s love and the ethics of Jesus Christ, I know I have been able to take off from the material world and spiritually fly. 

There are so many people sitting on the runway of life unable – unwilling – to accept they need God if they are to fly and delight in the view from above.

Spiritual poverty enables us to become spiritually rich, thanks to the fuel and pilot  - the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ - we have within our heart. Never take that for granted. It’s a great blessing.