Monday of the Tenth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day
Isaac of Stella (?-c.1171), Cistercian monk
Sermon 1, for the Feast of All Saints ; SC 130 (trans. ©Cistercian publications,1979)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit"
"And when he had sat down, he opened his mouth." May it be granted me to sit with Jesus, to sit at his feet on the mountain side and partake of his instruction! When he is in the crowd he is standing and walking, occupied and wearied, and so hard pressed that neither he nor his disciples are, as it were, allowed to eat bread, "the bread of life and understanding", * and to drink "the water of wisdom." For this water can only be drunk in a time of leisure, and it is drawn by those who have little to do. For "the well is deep"...
Opening his mouth Jesus speaks to the heart of Jerusalem, talking to her in solitude or on the mountain, and this is what he says: "Happy are the poor in spirit."* He who is Happiness speaks of happiness, he who became poor of poverty, Bread speaks of repletion, Mercy of mercifulness, he who is the Purity of hearts speaks of purification of heart, the truly Peaceful of peace-making, the Son by nature speaks of sonship...
"Blessed are the poor in spirit." Wisely indeed he puts first... what every man seeks... For who does not want to be happy? Why do men universally quarrel and fight, bargain, resort to flattery, and inflict injuries on one another? Is it not simply in order to obtain, by fair means or foul... something that promises to make them happy?... So the Teacher of all men... begins by redirecting those who have lost the way...; he who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”... begins with the words: “Happy are the poor in spirit.”
( Biblical references : Mk 6,31; Jn 6,35; Si 15,3; 38,24; Jn 4,11; Is 40,2; Hos 2,16; Jn 14,16; 6,32; 14,6)