My dear children: may Jesus watch over my daughters and sons for me!

In this message I would like to invite you to go deeper into some aspects of the virtue of poverty, through which the bonus odor Christi shines forth that St. Paul speaks of (cf. 2 Cor 2:15).

St. Josemaría frequently pointed to this virtue, viewed not only as external detachment, but as a manifestation of the love that Christ taught us, an expression of a heart that desires to belong to God. Christ chose to be born poor, live poor, and die poor; at the same time, he presented himself in a manner appropriate to diverse circumstances and people. The Son of God, though able to possess everything, chose the path of humility and self-emptying (cf. Phil 2:6-8). And in this poverty we see revealed the beauty of a heart that is free and completely open to the will of God the Father.

The saints, in many different ways, bear witness to this reality. They discovered in poverty not a loss, but a fullness. For the soul that frees itself from disordered attachments begins to experience a new freedom: the freedom of love. “With the desire to have God as a companion on our journey, riches become relative, because we discover the true treasure that we really need” (Leo XIV, Message, November 16, 2025).

The specific manifestations of the virtue of poverty can depend on a variety of circumstances. What is necessary or quite suitable for one person might be superfluous for another; what is necessary for the same person in a given situation may cease to be so later. Moreover, except in obvious cases, the distinction – here and now – between what is necessary, suitable or superfluous requires more than an external criterion: it demands a well-formed conscience, prudence, and a sincere willingness to live the virtue of poverty, which includes knowing how to ask for advice when it is unclear whether a specific expense or decision is truly appropriate.

When the virtue, the spirit of poverty truly takes root in our lives, our heart becomes free and, with divine grace, rises more easily to contemplation. Our soul learns to recognize more readily the gentle and delicate touches of the Holy Spirit. And then, in the midst of our ordinary occupations, we begin to live with a peace and joy that the world cannot give (cf. Jn 14:27). It is the silent joy of knowing that God’s love dwells in our heart – a love that enters even into our weakness, illuminates it, and gradually transforms us from within, leading us to identification with Christ.

On the other hand, we cannot ignore the widespread mentality in many places that tends to equate happiness with material well-being and pleasure. Given this reality, we know very well that our vocation is not to flee from the world, but to love it and help transform it from within. But to achieve this, as St. Josemaría told us, we need to be contemplative souls: “The purpose of this divine call is very specific: to take your place at all the crossroads of this world, while being yourself deeply immersed in God” (In Dialogue with the Lord, no. 20).

Thus we can be the “good soil” Jesus speaks of in the parable of the sower, allowing the word of God to bear good fruit in our lives: greater interior freedom, a deeper and more solid joy, a more genuine trust in God, and a more attentive concern for the needs of others. But if the seed is surrounded by thorns –that is, by excessive material concerns and the pursuit of riches – it remains barren: that person loses inner freedom, becomes less available for God and others, and ends up placing their hope in securities that cannot satisfy one’s heart.

Let us strive resolutely, in both great and small things, to prevent a materialistic culture from smothering the good soil of our heart and of the places where we live (cf. Mt 13:22). When poverty is neglected, the desire to help God’s love take root in other souls inevitably fades. In this regard, St. Josemaría linked this virtue very directly with apostolic zeal: “Detach yourself from the goods of the world. Love and practice poverty of spirit: be content with what enables you to live a simple and sober life. Otherwise, you will never be an apostle” (The Way, no. 631).

A lack of apostolic zeal often reflects a life softened by material compensations that dull the soul. With our Father (whose feast we will celebrate this month), I ask that each of us, if necessary, may take a step forward in this aspect of conversion. Undoubtedly, this will result in a more refined love for our Lord and enable us to bring Him more effectively to the world.

Let us place this desire in the hands of our Mother, so that she may teach us to always rediscover the beauty of a life of poverty, fully dedicated to God’s love.

Let us remain closely united in prayer for the Holy Father and his intentions, now specifically for the effective dissemination of his first encyclical and for the fruit of his apostolic journey to Spain.

Your Father blesses you with all his affection.

Rome, June 14, 2026