The Poor In Spirit

‘Tsinelas’ by HalfNakedFreak

Half Poor, Half Rich

2 February – This is the pastoral text of Fr Reuter: Bernadette Soubirous was poor. But the Virgin Mary loved her with a special love. The Filipinos are poor. But the Virgin Mary loves them with a special love. I searched for “poor” and “Filipino” (no double quotes) in Flickr, and I chose this image because it’s very dramatic and because of the name of the one who owns the photograph: HalfNakedFreak. I looked at the photo and the name of its owner and I told myself, this is a good practice for a paradigm shift.

You can be a pessimist and look at them as humble pairs of slippers – your glass is half-empty. Or you can be an optimist and look at them as humble pairs of slippers to walk with – your glass is half-full.

At my age, 67, I think you are only as poor as you think, even if you are rich, if you cannot think rich out of humble things. I don’t own a car, and I’ll never own one; I own a bicycle, and I’m rich! I just have to look around me and what do I see? Many people walking. Having something is a privilege, even if that something is only a pair of humble slippers.