There is this direct relationship between having nothing and having everything; between poverty of spirit, the first of the Beatitudes, and the kingdom of God. That’s why we let go of everything. And that’s why in all the great mystical traditions we have the terms like nothingness, emptiness, poverty, to describe what we go through or what we enter into on this journey. ‘Nada! Nada! Nada!’ says St John of the Cross; or Cassian:
‘By the continuous repetition of this single verse, you renounce all the riches of thought and imagination, and come with ready ease to the first of the Beatitudes, poverty of spirit.’
So our meditation is on this wavelength of mystical wisdom, of spiritual knowledge, of our tradition.
Wayne Northey was Director of Man-to-Man/Woman-to-Woman – Restorative Christian Ministries (M2/W2) in British Columbia, Canada from 1998 to 2014, when he retired. He has been active in the criminal justice arena and a keen promoter of Restorative Justice since 1974. He has published widely on peacemaking and justice themes. You will find more about that on this website: a work in progress.
View all posts by Editor
Listen to this article
