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More thoughts on the Vow of Poverty
When pondering some thought or idea, I always find it helpful to turn to a dictionary or to a poem or quote. As we continue to ponder the question of what it means to live the vow of poverty or a life of simplicity in a complex world, here are a few more points of view that might jump start another idea or two or invite us to shift a bit and look at this in a new light.
“Voluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can have more.”
- Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are(2005) p. 69
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“The vows are first and foremost poetic language. Words like poverty and obedience are not literal descriptions … They are world-creating metaphors that are hyperbolic … They intend by their literally impossible extravagance (who can be absolutely poor?) to capture the totality of the commitment being expressed. Hyperbole is exaggeration for effect, the use of extreme language to evoke what is beyond expression.”
- Sister Sandra Schneiders, IHM, Selling All: Commitment, Consecrated Celibacy, and Community in Catholic Religious Life(2001)
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“How refreshing, the whinny of a packhorse unloaded of everything!”
- Zen saying
What idea popped into your head about poverty upon reading one of these quotes? What new insight might be brewing in you?
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Hi Sister Julie, I came across your blog some time ago and have really enjoyed your work and writing. Keep it up!
This struck a chord with me:
“Voluntary simplicity means going fewer places in one day rather than more, seeing less so I can see more, doing less so I can do more, acquiring less so I can have more.”
I’ve recently moved to a new place, where I’m only slowly picking up the language and where my opportunities to get out and about are a bit more limited than I’m used to.
Observing conversation in a foreign language has made me realise how much we talk without really saying anything, and having to stick closer to home has made me realise how little I miss the less significant diversions of my former life – the things I did that just filled in time, or which, while pleasant, didn’t really mean much.
I’m doing less and speaking less, but thinking more and being forced to focus on what’s important. Perhaps I’m not being impoverished at all, because the things I don’t have anymore never made me a richer person anyway.
When I read the quotes from Jon Kabat-Zinn and Sandra Schneiders, another quote came to me–one from Marcel Proust.
“The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes, in seeing the universe with the eyes of another, of hundreds of others, in seeing the hundreds of universes that each of them sees.” Funny, I never thought of it in connection with the vow of poverty or simplicity before but I think there is a definite connection. I can “see” so much more, be open to so much more if my life isn’t focused on “things” or on what I “must” have. Living simply frees me to “see” so much more that I might have missed.
Sister Julie – Thanks for continuing this. I love the Kabat Zinn statement on voluntary poverty. I think it speaks to the “multiple identities” of the “voluntarily poor”.
I also appreciate the clarification that Sister Sandra, you and others (me, too!) continue to make that most modern discussions of the vow of poverty are not at all about absolute poverty (either in its negative or positive forms of destitution or the cliff-dwelling, food-independent Buddha in the cave). Poverty on this abundantly generous planet of plenty is not God’s doing and it is one of the uglier choices we have made and continue to make as humankind. But we have made it and we do make it, again and again and again and again……. or we would not have an overwhelmingly majority of the world population living in the category of “poor” vs “non-poor”.
The kinds of things that concern me:
I do not believe one – whether a religious or not – can be “voluntarily pooor” in this world and be the sole occupant in the vast majority of dwelling “types” in this society. The carbon footprint and resource consumption and vision-shrinking privilege involved in that luxury is ENORMOUS. Again, I do not care who owns or pays for that individual dwelling and what is inside it; again, I tend to believe the answer that rests on that is employing “semantics”, which we humans tend to use to shut down a line of scary inquiry.
WOOPS! Just saw the time! Sister Julie, THANK YOU. will be ***very*** interested to read more from others over time.
Jean
and i should clarify that i have spent the last ten years living as the sole human occupant in lovely spaces. so i am not pointing a finger where i am not. jean
and i realize that my questions parallels a question in the survey just sent to major superiors/presidents from the Visitation. the Visitation is, I think, unfortunate in that it may be shutting down some authentic dialogue among discerning women and the larger world of religious (though I do find that individual communities and individual sisters are generally willing to continue in the very challenging dialogue that is essential for many discerners and i love that). jean
As I read the second quote, the Beatitude “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God” sprang to mind. I’m wondering about the difference and/or correlation between material poverty and poverty of spirit – the latter understood in the right sense, of course, as a lack of worldly defenses and pride, not um, a lack of happiness
Sister Sandra asks “Who can be absolutely poor?” and I thought of the great Desert Fathers, for example St. Anthony. These guys were about as poor as it is possible to get in material terms, but then they had *voluntarily* given everything up in order to fully live the spiritual life. The Bible is full of ‘if you’re poor now, you won’t be in heaven’ types of phrases.
Just thoughts
Poverty is freedom!
I have a call to be a Carmelite nun and have been following up with the local Prioress for the last two years. I hope to enter Carmel next year. The idea of leaving my life, as I know it, behind me, and beginning a new life in Christ’s service, is a major change, but one of such freedom! I will be living my life for Him, not for myself, and in the convent I would own nothing (after profession that is), sharing everything. I have seen material possessions as a burden at times; poverty is not only freedom from material possessions, but from my own whims and fancies, and my activities too! My life is my own, but as I leave for my Spouse’s House, my life will be His. There is a boundlessness and simplicity to it! How privileged to be called to leave all for Him!
Poverty is a gift. . . it may not mean poverty of material things, though that’s what most people think of when they hear the word poverty. It’s learning to let go of selfish thoughts as well. It’s giving more of yourself, and denying yourself certain things. I have learned this well from my family, and even at a young age, I find myself trying to live in poverty as I learn the ways of the sisters. They give up so much and are a true example that we don’t necessarily need material things to help us live. In all truth, the saying “Less is more”, is so perfect!
Thinking more about this, and Becca’s remark that “It’s learning to let go of selfish thoughts as well” reminded me of the way we are exhorted during the fasting seasons to ‘fast’ from greed for things other than food as well, and from evil thoughts, hate, anger, laziness, selfishness… In fact we are told that it can be downright harmful to fast physically when not fasting in spirit.
So in this way poverty is definitely an inward thing before it is an outward thing… But however, as Sr. Julie and other religious will know, the mystery of it is that material poverty is intimately connected to a humble spirit. It is a positive, affirmative thing at the same time as it is outward negation. Perhaps the religious vows can be seen as a continual fast, a continual and deliberate control of what we HAVE and DO, to be set free into what we ARE?
x M.
Marigold – Your response was beautiful. My “way into” a lived understanding of fasting is the sacrifice of life with a dog that religious life would require of me. I feel that I will always long for a dog, a canine “significant other” of my own; I feel I will never be free from that desire and all the emotions that come with denyng oneself one’s deep desires. I did not understand fasting – the deep spiritual dynamic of fasting – until I began to encounter this reality of never again living in that “primary relationship” with a dog again (am I just the picture of a “crazy dog person” or what? look it up in the dictionary and there will be a picture of me). This truth cracks my priests up: I really like men and I liked being married and I liked dating and, you know, I can accept that sacrifice without needing to meditate again and again on the spiritual meaning and value and process and dynamics of fasting. But the dog sacrifice? It is also true that I did not cook for my husband (I did do dishes) but I was more than happy to “cook for my dog” daily as a means of avoiding the health consequences of commerical dog foods. Mmy priests love that, too, and I figure it is a very good thing for every one of those lovely, yummy man-creatures to hear, even the priestly man-creatures: I’ll cook for the dog but not for you.
Thanks again, Marigold, for your beautiful words and insights.
Jean
Again,
Hi, Julie.
The question of poverty and how to live it has always been a thorny question for Franciscans and especially for POOR Clares, underlining POOR. As Sister Sandra says who can really be poor as religious because we are well provided for in our life. But there are many other ways that I find God asking me to be poor. To see the diminishment of our Sisters or one’s self and to be there with a helping hand, giving of ourself where the need is, for it is better to wear out than rust out; to accept the daily round without whining and to live the moment with absolute delight.
One Franciscan priest said in retreat that when we are taking food from the table we should not take the best or the worst but the first.
And St. Francis de Sales said that the really poor do not ask for anything or refuse anything.
Another saying I like and I believe St. Elizabeth Ann Seton said it,”Live simply so others can simply live.”
Thanks for your constant good work. You are in there pitching every day. That takes poverty of time.
God’s blessing on you, Julie.
For me the vow of poverty isn’t so much about giving up my things as it is giving up my will. It’s more about being poor in getting to make my own choices. If that makes sense? Little things like not being able to go out for coffee with a friend, or being able to talk to my family whenever I want to. Yet I’m really looking forward to it because by starting with little things I will be able to give more and the more I keep giving the more I’ll be able to give.
JMJ+
~Betsy
Totus tuus Maria!
Sister Julie – I am thinking more abou the Kabat Zinn quote. I used to live in a fantastic small city, very conscious and active re: health and green and community and world and justice, all that good stuff. I know some of the best minds I have encountered re: voluntary simplicity and poverty of spirit in that small community. As a community, I think, we tend to identify ourselves as non-consumerist. And then, one day, my friends and I were having dinner and we started listening to ourselves: massage, acupuncture, yoga class, organic food, homeopathy, chiropracty,
whoops – hit send too soon. …..And then, one day, my friends and I were having dinner and we started listening to ourselves: massage, acupuncture, yoga class, organic food, homeopathy, chiropracty, therapy, retreats, essential oils, soy milk, natural fabrics, Dansko shoes, outdoor equipment, retreats, retreats, retreats, therapy, yoga class, massage, armatherpayy candles, writing class, tai chi… from morning until night…………….and we said, “you know, this community is intensely involved in consumerism and so are we. The fact that we are consuming things without plastics or preservatives does not mean we are not intensely involved in the consumer society and the fact that we are rushing from one ‘healthy’ thing to another does not change the fact that our lives are crammed with consumption of the esoteric things of life.” It was a real eye opener for us re: one aspect of “poverty of spirit” means. And Kabat Zinn and so many here have helped me think about it again. THANKS. More please. Jean
Albert Nolan also makes some very direct statements about this issue. Our standard of living must change – not the name on the title or bill – if we are to truly share as family members. For me he challenges the suggestion that the poverty of poverty is hyperbole, metaphor. It is also hard economic facts. Jean