"Elizaveta Iurievna Kuzmina-Karavaeva Skobtsova, later known as Mother Maria, was a Russian Orthodox religious thinker, poet and artist. Her multi-faceted legacy includes articles, poems, art, and drama. In the 1910s she was part of the literary milieu of St. Petersburg and was a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. She fled Russia soon after the Bolsheviks' takeover and lived in Paris, where she became a nun. In 1935, she participated in organizing the so-called Orthodox Action, which was designed to help Russian immigrants in France. She and her fellow-workers from Orthodox Action opened a house for homeless and sick immigrants in Paris. During the Nazi occupation of the city, the house was transformed into a refuge for Jews and displaced persons. Mother Maria and her son were arrested by the Gestapo in 1943 and died in the Ravensbruck camp in Germany. Mother Maria's selfless devotion to people and her death as a martyr will never be forgotten. In 2004, the Holy Synod confirmed the glorification of Mother Maria." - from Columbia University Libraries Special Collection link

Non-Acquisitiveness of the Spiritual Life

"The vow of non-acquisitiveness can be and ought to be broadened also into the spiritual sphere, and the man giving it, were he to renounce spiritual acquisitiveness, would give him spiritual poverty, for which is promised blessedness. But what is such a spiritual non-acquisitiveness?" - Mother Maria of Paris

I think of the writings of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche when I read this.  In particular his book Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism.  It was his attempt to attack the pride of trying to become better than others...the pride of the hungry ego.

This is a wonderful challenge for us to review.  Sometimes we allow the avarice of the human spirit to go unbridled and unchecked if we feel it is for a holy purpose.  But the fathers and mothers of the desert were clear that this sense of spiritual aggressiveness was the ego hiding behind piety.  It was false piety.

Does this mean that all zeal is unholy?  No, it is a wonderful reminder to us that there is no hiding behind spirituality.  We are to abide in God.  There can be no greed in our piety.  If we are greedy to become more spiritual, then we have missed the point.  The energy of greed, the power of avarice is lurking around even spiritual undertakings and the call to sobriety and balance is present all throughout our spiritual journey.  Not just when we are neophytes.

Poverty of spirit is the mark of the saint.  Humility shines forth from a heart that is simple.

Is your spiritual life an avarice conglomeration of acquisitiveness?  Mine often is.


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