Poor in Spirit: Receiving Your True Name from God

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit, for the Kingdom of God Is Theirs

Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest, I am He Whom thou seekest!

— Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson

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Introduction

The world is constantly seeking to impose labels on us: liberal/conservative, Republican/Democrat, traditional/progressive, introvert/extrovert, etc. Sometimes these labels can be hurtful: loser, misfit, outcast, reject, weirdo, strange, different, uncool, unpopular, victim, and so on. While some labels may be positive or even meaningful, none of them define your essence. Being "poor in spirit" means the only label that matters is the one God gives you, your true identity, your God-given name.

Poor in Spirit = your God-given identity = His name for you

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The Human Condition

The human condition consists of three truths:

1. We all desire unspeakable happiness.

2. Many of us see others who seem happier than we are.

3. When we try to imitate them, it rarely brings us joy.

What gives?

• If you’re a Buddhist, the problem is your desire for happiness, and the solution is Nirvana: the elimination of all desire. This is "happiness," achieved through an eight-fold path.

• If you’re a cynic, the problem is that other people are pretending to be happier than they actually are. The solution is to expose their hypocrisy and prove you're better than them.

• If you’re a self-help enthusiast, the problem is that you've chosen the wrong system. The solution? Find the next guru who asks you to "Buy my book" or "join my community," where you'll find the happiness.

• If you’re a Christian, the problem is that you are uniquely made in the image and likeness of God, and you can’t conform to others’ ideas of happiness. The solution is to be the person God made you to be.

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How Do I Know Who God Made Me to Be?

Great question! Each of us is a mystery—an infinite depth we may never fully exhaust. However, we can learn a great deal about ourselves. The synthesis of this understanding is found in our name. Not necessarily the name given to us by our parents or at baptism, but the name God bestows upon us.

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Wait, Is That Even a Thing?

Yes. Consider these examples from Scripture:

• "He calls each star by name" (Ps. 147:4; see also Is. 40:26—here, "star" is a poetic term for a person).

• "I will give [the one who conquers] a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except the one who receives it" (Rev. 2:17).

• "No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham" (Gen. 17:5).

• "You are Peter [Petrus/Cephas], and on this rock [Petra/Cephas] I will build My church" (Mt. 16:18; see also Gal. 2:9 and Jn. 1:42).

It’s clear: God has a unique name for each of us—a name that only He can reveal. The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms this:

"A name expresses a person’s essence and identity, and the meaning of this person’s life." (CCC 203)

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What Does That Mean?

A thing can be defined by its nature: dog, cat, chair, ball, tree, etc. A person, however, cannot. This is true even of the angels, each of whom is unique—so much so that every angel is considered its own "species" in Thomistic theology. For humans, we share a common nature as Homo sapiens, yet we are irreplaceable and irreproducible. Like snowflakes, no two humans are exactly alike.

Hidden within each of us is a mystery: our spirit, our essence, our "wyrd" (a Norse term for an individual's unique destiny or essence), our name.

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An Example

There was a young woman we’ll call Erin preparing to do missionary work on a college campus in America. Erin was struggling with past trauma and a deep sense of unworthiness. She said she "couldn’t pray."

To help her, we explored moments when she felt close to God, hoping to reignite her connection, but something still felt off.

Finally, I asked her, “Do you know who you are in God’s eyes?”

“No,” she replied.

“Then ask Him. Ask Him to tell you your real name.”

After a pause, she said, “I think it’s either ‘My Ruby’ or ‘My Little Ruby.’”

Notably, she had very red hair.

“How does that make you feel?” I asked.

“It just feels like me—like He knows me, loves me, and wants to be with me.”

“Do you need anything else?”

“I guess not.”

“Great. Then I guess we’re done here.”

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How Can I Learn My Name?

Just ask. The One who "called" you into existence is the only One who knows your name. Pray to Him:

Father, let me be one of the "poor in spirit" who rejects every label that doesn't come from You. Please show me my name, the name You call me by. Tell me my name. I know it’s a secret You hold in Your heart. Please share it with me so that I can live from it and not from all the labels the world seeks to place upon me. Father, what is Your name for me?

Hmm, it’s strange, but it seems like my God given name is: __________________

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‍And Then?

First, ask Him. Then own it. Then explore it. Hidden in your name is a mission—the meaning of your life.

For "Little Ruby," her mission was to shine forth and bring delight. She expressed this through performance dancing, but even more so through her way of being.

What about you? You may not know exactly what God created you to do, but know this: It’s hidden in your name. God the Father wants to reveal it to you. So ask Him. And live from it.

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