Chapter V. On Poverty.

Chapter V.

On Poverty.

A. True and perfect poverty is to relinquish all things for God, spontaneously and gladly; to possess nothing except bare necessity, and to feel oneself unworthy of that same necessity; indeed sometimes, for God and for love of poverty, gladly to lack even that necessity itself. For where there is no necessity, there true poverty cannot be discerned. Thus our Lord Jesus Christ lacked the necessity of food, since neither he nor his disciples, rubbing ears of grain, could have bread. He similarly lacked the necessity of garments when, as D. Bernard testifies ¹, before the cross he was utterly stripped. He also, thirsting on the cross, could not have a drink of water, nor a stone, nor a board, on which, dying, he might recline his crucified head. Alas! how often there is superfluity where true necessity is believed to be.

B. The true poor person desires no transitory things; indeed he rejects things offered, after the example of Elisha, who did not accept the gifts of Naaman ², and the example of Daniel, who despised the gifts of King Belshazzar ³. That person truly loves poverty who would rather merit through poverty a small glory in the heavenly kingdom than a great one through riches. And this because of conformity to Jesus Christ.

C. According to D. Bernard, three things ought to induce us to love of true poverty: "Nothing," he says, "is dearer to God, nothing more lovable to angels, nothing more fruitful to human beings, than to finish life in poverty by obeying." And that poverty pleases God the same Bernard testifies: "At the left hand of God," he says, "are riches and glory; at the right hand is length of life. The eternal abundance of all these things was available in the heavens, but poverty was not found in them. Moreover on earth this kind abounded and superabounded, and the human being did not know its price. Therefore the Son of God, desiring this, came down so that he might choose it for himself and by his own valuation make it precious also for us ⁴."

There is also another inducement of true poverty, namely the glory of sitting beside the Lord, coming from the fact that poor ignoble persons will sit at the side of Christ in judgment, judging the noble and the rich. Ah, how praiseworthy it is before God purely to relinquish all things for him, spontaneously to become poor for love of God, and to trust in God above all things. He is so powerful that once or twice a day he can minister necessary things to the body, which are reckoned least before God. For he gives these more abundantly to enemies than to friends. Likewise he is powerful, day and night and at every moment, to minister to the spirit an abundance of spiritual gifts, which are greatest before God. Nor are these communicated to enemies, but only to the good, who are his friends.

D. The proof of true poverty is to have no solicitude about transitory things, but simply and securely to commit oneself to God, who always generously supplies necessary things to birds and worms. And especially to young ravens, crying in the nest from hunger; the old black raven, because of their whiteness, as if they were not his offspring, abandons them hungry. They are fed either from the largess of God or from the dew of the air until, when they grow black, the raven assists them; or they swallow gnats and flies that cling to the foam of their beaks, while, still hungry, they do not cease to cry strongly.

E. The proof of false poverty or avarice is gladly to ask for gifts beyond necessity, or gladly and frequently to accept them. Such a person sells his liberty, according to that saying of the Philosopher: "To accept gifts is to sell liberty ⁵." Scripture also says: You shall not accept gifts, because they blind the eyes of the wise and change the words of the just ⁶. For how is he a lover of poverty who wishes to sustain no lack, and gladly and frequently accepts gifts that are not necessary? Indeed he asks for them, extorts them with a certain subtlety, and keeps them beyond necessity.