"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

Holy Poverty

Over the years, the notion of poverty has taken many turns.  It has always been a value of the followers of Jesus to share things in common.  The community in the second chapter of the book of Acts makes this plain.  In the deserts around Jerusalem, communities like the Therapeutae, the Essenes, and the Nazoreans - to name a few - all practiced the form of poverty that comes from sharing all things in common.

Benedict encourages this in his rule and Francis in his as well.  The call to simple lifestyle permeates the Basilian and Augustinian Rules as well as the Order of the Knights of the Hospital.  All of this so we may live a life the LORD has called us to, of not having more than we need for the journey.  Christ's proscription was even harsher in that he tells us to take no food with us or a bag to carry them in.

Why all this talk of poverty?  The rules of the communities of the past saw the nature of greed in man as something that can itself consume us.  In this day and age it is a wise journey we take if we challenge our sense of ownership and consumerism.  In what ways do we live in excess?  Where are we in the world scheme of things?  How are we answering God's call in us to not be attached to this world?

All of these are valuable questions to pursue in the spiritual journey.  In most cases, true missional lifestyle happens best when we move ourselves into communities of the poor and live the Gospel life among the people.

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