The very first Beatitude is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). In the Gospel passage of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14), the tax collector who “would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner’” (Luke 18:13) demonstrated that he was poor in spirit. In his humility, he was repentant and recognized his need for God’s mercy. When we are poor in spirit we “become like little children” (Matthew 18:3). When we become spiritually small, there is room in our hearts for our Lord to reign, thus giving us access to the kingdom of heaven: “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15).
There was no room for God in the Pharisee’s heart. He was puffed up, proud, and convinced of his own righteousness (Lk 18:9). His heart was full of himself, disguised as love for God. Notice this detail: he directed his prayer to “himself” (Luke 18:11). He thanked and praised himself, not God. If we fail to see that God is the true source of all holiness, then it can be easy to give the credit to ourselves. As the faithful, it is our duty to recognize that holiness is a gift from God and then carry it out in our daily lives. Lumen Gentium states, “by God’s gift, they [the followers of Christ] must hold on to and complete in their lives this holiness they have received” (40).
How can we make room for the Lord in our own hearts so His kingdom can reign there? St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Little Way” is a wonderful example to consider. She wrote, “my little way is the way of spiritual childhood, the way of trust and absolute self-surrender.” St. Therese sought to do little things for others each day with great love for God. Consider looking up some ideas on how to live the “Little Way” in your daily life as a way to become spiritually childlike so that Christ can truly reign in your heart.
An idea to get you started on your Little Way: a dear friend of mine recently gave me a copy of The Love That Keeps Us Sane: Living the Little Way of St. Therese of Lisieux by Mark Foley, which is practical advice for daily living based on her writings. It is a simple, beautiful read and richly packed with inspiration for living the Little Way in our everyday lives.
Jesus, help me to be spiritually small, to be childlike in my faith, and to love and serve You in all I say and do.