Splintered Souls and Spirit-filled Spaces

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  Matt 5:3



SHATTERED SOUL



 At first blush, there seems to be an incongruity in this declaration that Matthew tells us Jesus makes.  A second thought makes it seem even more out of whack.  Serious reflection, however, draws one into the depths of the truth and beauty of this simple statement.



Spiritual poverty is a difficult experience.  Recently, I was sharing with a friend and colleague about our experiences of PTSD.  My friend had mentioned something about being healed and I noted that after 35 years I am still not healed.  I am, however, healing - and always will be. I cannot undo the experience that splintered my soul.   Jurgen Moltmann writes something similar in his book Spirit of Life.  Moltmann writes, "In the the depths of experiences like this, there is apparently no such thing as 'time as the great healer', and no merciful forgetting.  So we can never say about an experience of this kind 'I had it' as if it were finished and done with, something past and gone.  We are continually still involved in experiencing confronting events like these, because they continually, over and over again, press for an answer."  ( p. 21) 

What 'confronting event' splintered my soul is irrelevant.  What is important is that those who have experienced a splintering of the soul for whatever reason find themselves also experiencing a deeply felt poverty of the soul.  In the midst of the splintered poverty we discover some important truths of life.  In a culture that celebrates "self-made" and "self-sufficient" individuals, the poor in spirit are sharply aware of the reality of their existence as "God-made" and utterly "God-dependent."  Everything flows out of the goodness of God and is dependent on the grace of God. 

There is nothing that will undo the brokenness of our lives.  A soul, once splintered, will never be the same.  But in the mercy and love of God, the shattered spaces are filled with the Holy Spirit.  It is into the splintered cracks of our souls that the Holy Spirit breathes the grace of God and new life begins to emerge.  It is through the very brokenness of our lives and the splintered openings of our souls that the kingdom of heaven is poured, grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy.

Indeed ---  blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God.

May you discover in your splintered soul Spirit-filled spaces that bring the kingdom of heaven.

PK