(…) there is a material aspect to this renouncing of possessions. But the deepest meaning of it is poverty of spirit, being able to let go within ourselves of the egotistical impulse to possess and control. That’s a very deep-rooted instinct in every human being to possess and control. We think it’s more important to have than to be. And again this is in our prayer, the meditation. It’s in our prayer that we actually do renounce all our possessions. We have responsibilities to family to friends to jobs; you can’t just renounce everything and put your children on the streets. But you can, while being responsible about your wealth or your possessions, you can still renounce them if you become nonpossessive and you use them generously and wisely, and you are not possessed by your possessions. So this is a very important element of discipleship that we know what poverty of spirit really means.
(Christian Life in the Light of Christian Meditation 1: Discipleship by Laurence Freeman OSB )
