07.04.2013 Views

Church Fathers V3 - Fr George Grube - Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox ...

Church Fathers V3 - Fr George Grube - Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox ...

Church Fathers V3 - Fr George Grube - Saint Mina Coptic Orthodox ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

+ Show forth all your wealth in giving.<br />

- Commodianus<br />

+ The Christian prefers to despise wealth rather than possess it.<br />

- Minucius Felix<br />

+ It is not he who has and keeps, but he who gives away, that is rich.<br />

- St. Clement of Alexandria<br />

+ How can anyone be considered poor who does not feel any want, who does<br />

not covet what belongs to others, who is rich in God's eyes.<br />

- Minicius Felix<br />

+ The only true wealth is the poverty of desire.<br />

- St. Clement of Alexandria<br />

+ Faith and love, which are gifts of the Holy Spirit, are such great and powerful<br />

gifts that a person who has them can easily, with joy and consolation, go the<br />

way Jesus Christ went. Besides this, the Holy Spirit gives man the power to<br />

resist the vain delusions of the world so that, although he makes use of earthly<br />

goods, he uses them as a temporary visitor, without attaching his heart to them.<br />

But a man who has not yet gotten the Spirit, despite all his learning and<br />

prudence, is always more or less a slave and worshipper of the world.<br />

- St. Innocent of Irkutsk<br />

+ Jesus teaches us not only that riches are to be despised, but that they are full<br />

of danger. They are the root of seducing evils and deceive the blind human<br />

mind by hidden deception.<br />

However, the Lord tells us that those who sell their possessions and distribute<br />

them for the poor become perfect and complete. In doing so, they lay up<br />

treasures for themselves in heaven. He says that those who follow Him...and<br />

aren’t ensnared by worldly possessions ...accompany their possessions which<br />

are delivered directly to God.<br />

- St. Cyprian of Carthage<br />

+ Those who reject not only everything they have, but everything they hoped to<br />

possess, truly give up everything.<br />

- St. Augustine<br />

+ Don’t trust in riches, for such things are left here on earth. Only faith will<br />

accompany you. Righteousness will also go with you if faith has led the way.<br />

Why do riches entice you? Christ said, “You are not redeemed with gold and<br />

silver”. Nor are we saved with grand possessions or silk garments, or with vain<br />

conversation, but with the precious blood of Christ.<br />

- 18 -

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!