The least of these

O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through his poverty might be rich:...from the collect

I was captured right away by the collect. That is an awesome statement...not the "cool" or "hip" kind of awesome but fear and awe kind of awesome. I am aways amazed at the connection of poor and God. There is poor in spirit, humility, the anawim, the dictates through out the whole cannon to heal the sick and take care of the poor, the bungling disciples, Paul's blindness, David's meekness, and Abrahm's age. Even after the resurrection of Christ there are those figures in Christian History who have left there mark in imitation of Christ. Yet it always seems that those who leave the biggest mark are they who prior to a change in life , prior to getting caught up in God, prior to seeking a new way, are incapable of living with any success.

I am always struck that it is not poverty that is to be held high but poverty which allows God to be seen so clearly. It is our poverty, our destitution, our failure and at times the phenomenal changes of state and mind which point to God. It is poverty that witnesses the Divine most clearly because it testifies that it can only be that which provides the power. He gives all and we gain. We become rich because he first gave all.

Lord, I am powerless.