Blessed are the poor

Today's Gospel hits precisely on what I've been reflecting about lately: what it means to be poor in spirit (even though Luke says nothing about "in spirit"). With lost jobs and homes lost or at risk, many people are suddenly having to weigh things as they never have before. How do you figure out where the non-negotiables are (even the little non-negotiables)? What if there really are no more corners to cut? You have to get really creative at times! (Did I tell you my favorite word is "free"? There's a reason for that!) But it can get to be an obsession. (Did I mention that my favorite word is "free"?)
St. Paul (first reading) advises us to "seek the things that are above, where Christ is." And we have his own example in both letters to the Corinthians, especially that wonderfully ironic declaration, "We seem to have nothing, but everything is ours!" That's what the Beatitude means: "the Kingdom of God is yours!"