The First Beatitude: Poverty of Spirit and the Beginning of the Ascent

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” It is not without reason that He begins here. For there are those who are poor in earthly substance, but are proud in spirit; and there are others who abound in riches, yet are humble in heart. It is not poverty of means, but poverty of spirit, that is praised.

By “spirit” is here understood the mind, and therefore those are poor in spirit who are humble and fear God, and who do not swell with pride. For pride is the beginning of all sin, whereas humility is the beginning of wisdom. Hence it is said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The poor in spirit are those who do not trust in themselves, but submit themselves to God, acknowledging that whatever good they have is received from Him.

It was fitting that blessedness should begin here, for no one can attain higher things unless he has first been brought low. Pride seeks to establish itself as sufficient, but humility brings the soul back to God. Unless a man is first emptied of himself, he cannot be filled; and unless he lays aside the swelling of pride, he cannot enter upon the way that leads upward.

These Beatitudes are not spoken of different kinds of people, but of one and the same person advancing step by step. Each Beatitude prepares the way for the next, and none can be attained unless what precedes it has already been received. Thus the soul is first humbled, then purified, then enlightened, until it is made capable of seeing God.

It is also to be observed that the promise of the kingdom of heaven is given both at the beginning and at the end. For the first Beatitude begins with the kingdom, and the eighth returns to it, showing that the whole course of blessedness is enclosed within the same reward. Thus the kingdom both begins the ascent and crowns it, while the intervening Beatitudes describe the growth of the same person toward perfection.

Source: St. Augustine, On the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, Book I, Chapters 1–4.