“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3
What was truly unique about St. Francis of Assisi’s contribution to the renewal of the Church and its mission in the 13th century? It wasn’t the introduction of a mendicant spirituality, as this had long been established and was even discouraged and frowned upon for being disruptive and autonomous. Instead, his greatest contribution can be seen in his genuine faithfulness to “walking righteously” with the humility of being “poor in spirit.”
Today, we often speak about “searching for relevance,” “discovering the new faces of the poor,” and “reaching out into new areas of evangelization.” But the deeper question we must ask ourselves is: how? How will we construct a new mission that is relevant to the needs of the poor today? What means will enable us to find “a new missionary relevance in a changing world” and renew our outreach to the “new faces of the poor”?
When Jesus declares in the Beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven,” the Hebrew word for “blessed” can be translated as “walk righteously in joy.” Therefore, the text suggests that the “joy of those who are poor in spirit” emanates from first living righteously, and this righteousness gives birth to poor of spirit, meekness, mercy, gentleness, and more.
It follows, then, that if we as an Oblate Congregation are searching for renewal in our mission and a greater outreach to the poor and most abandoned, the way forward is to return with greater conviction and authenticity to a “righteousness” that embodies our vow of poverty.
The future of the Oblate Congregation will be determined by how faithfully we live out the vow of poverty. Through the authentic living of this vow, we will find the internal and collective resources necessary to renew our Oblate Mission. Genuine poverty of spirit gives us the heart and the eyes to see the poor in their many faces. Without genuine poverty, we cannot construct a new and vibrant mission in response to the needs of today’s world.
Therefore, more is needed than a simple intent to renew our mission to the poor and the most abandoned. The intent must be accompanied by a conversion towards a deeper and more authentic living out of the vow of poverty.
As we implement the vision of the Chapter, let us pray for the humility to ‘walk righteously’ in living out the vow of poverty. In doing so, we will enable the renewal of our Mission and the Oblate Congregation.
Charles RENSBURG, OMI
Treasurer General
