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On the Lord's Prayer

20.

He teaches us that riches are not only to be contemned, but that they are also full of peril; that in them is the root of seducing evils, that deceive the blindness of the human mind by a hidden deception. Whence also God rebukes the rich fool, who thinks of his earthly wealth, and boasts himself in the abundance of his overflowing harvests, saying, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?" ¹ The fool who was to die that very night was rejoicing in his stores, and he to whom life already was failing, was thinking of the abundance of his food. But, on the other hand, the Lord tells us that he becomes perfect and complete who sells all his goods, and distributes them for the use of the poor, and so lays up for himself treasure in heaven. He says that that man is able to follow Him, and to imitate the glory of the Lord's passion, who, free from hindrance, and with his loins girded, is involved in no entanglements of worldly estate, but, at large and free himself, accompanies his possessions, which before have been sent to God. For which result, that every one of us may be able to prepare himself, let him thus learn to pray, and know, from the character of the prayer, what he ought to be.

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De l'Oraison Dominicale

XX.

D’après ces paroles, les richesses sont non-seulement méprisables , mais encore périlleuses., Là se trouve la racine de tous ces maux qui flattent et qui aveuglent l’esprit humain pour le tromper.

C’est pour cela que le Seigneur reprend le riche stupide, qui récapitulait sa fortune et se glorifiait de l’abondance de ses récoltes : Insensé, cette nuit même on viendra te réclamer ton âme et ces biens que tu as amassés à qui seront-ils (Luc, XI.)? Pauvre fou! il se réjouissait de ses biens et il allait mourir! la vie lui manquait et il songeait à amasser des vivres en abondance! Les enseignements du Seigneur sont bien différents: il nous dit que lé.. sage par excellence est celui qui vend tous ses biens, les distribue aux pauvres, et se prépare un trésor dans le ciel. Celui-là seul, dit-il, est capable de le suivre et de participer à la gloire de sa passion qui, dégagé de tout lien terrestre, marche vers le ciel en s’y faisant précéder de ses richesses. Pour se préparer à cet acte de vertu, que chacun de nous apprenne à prier et à s’instruire par la prière.