The person who is poor in spirit realizes that he or she does not love others as much as his or her heart would wish. I once preached six weeklong Lenten renewals in succession. The last was in Downers Grove, Illinois, and on the closing night I was wiped out. Over one thousand people had attended. As the recessional song signaling my exit from the church began, I debated internally whether my body could handle another half-hour of farewells and blessings in the vestibule.
