Treasures Of Earth And Heaven

Nolite thesaurizare vobis thesauros in terra, ubi aerugo et tinea exterminant, ubi fures effodiunt et involent. Thesaurizate autem vobis thesauros in coelo, ubi neque aerugo, neque tinea exterminent, et ubi fures non effodiunt nec furantur: ubi enim erit thesaurus tuus, illic erit et cor tuum Prohibet nos Dominus in terra thesaurizare, ubi omnia infirma sunt et caduca. Contrarium est enim fidei ac saluti hos terrenos thesauros expetere, divitias saeculi quaerere, facultates mundi sectari, quas possunt et tineae corrumpere, et aerugo absumere, et fures rapere. Quia quicumque magis in terra thesaurizare voluerint, quam in coelo, thesauros illos aeternae et coelestis vitae habere non possunt, dicente ipso Domino: Quoniam dives difficile intrabit in Regnum coelorum. Similiter et Apostolus: Nam qui volunt divites fieri, incidunt in tentationem et muscipulam diaboli. Recordemur illius divitis, qui omnem gloriam suam in saeculi thesauris atque in redituum suorum ubertate constituit: qui cum propter affluentiam frugum de ampliandis horreis cogitaret, atque animae suae delicias opum, et securitatem longae vitae promitteret; non dicam subripiente fure haec quae congregaverat perdidit; sed ipsam animam sub eadem nocte, cui thesaurizabat, amisit. Unde non immerito David ipse testatus est, dicens: Thesaurizat, et ignorat cui congregabit ea. Cogitemus et illum adolescentem; qui cum propre omnia praecepta legis implesset; quia thesauros magis terrenos habuit quam coelestes, vitae aeternae thesauros obtinere non potuit. Et idcirco bene David ait: Nolite sperare in iniquitate, et rapinas nolite concupiscere: divitiae si affluant, nolite cor apponere. Sanctus Chromatius Aquileiensis, Tactatus XVI in Evangelium Sancti Matthaei Source: Migne PL 20 365A-C

Do not heap up treasure for yourself on earth, where rust and moth destroy, where thieves break in and steal. Heap up treasure for yourself in heaven, where neither rust nor moth will destroy, and where thieves will neither break in nor thieve; where your treasure shall be, there shall be your heart. 1 The Lord prohibits us from heaping up treasure on earth, where everything is weak and fallen. For it is contrary to faith and salvation to desire material wealth and seek mundane riches and to pursue the things of the world, which even moths are able to destroy, and rust devour, and thieves seize. Because whoever has a greater wish to heap up treasure on earth than heaven shall not be able to possess that treasure of eternal and heavenly life, with the Lord Himself saying that is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 2 Similarly the Apostle says, 'They who wish to be rich will fall into temptation and the snare of the devil.' 3 Let us remember that rich man who set all his glory in his worldly wealth and in the return of his abundance, he who on account of the affluence of his crops thought to build more barns, and the work was his soul's delight, and the security of long life he promised himself, not then, I might say, was he deprived of what he had gathered by a cunning thief, but that same night he had gathered his treasure he gave up his soul. 4 Whence not without reason David gave witness, saying, 'He heaps up treasure and does not know who will gather it.' 5 And let us consider that young man who fulfilled nearly all the commands of the law, but because he had more worldly wealth than heavenly was not able to obtain the treasure of eternal life. 6 And therefore well David says, 'Do not put your hopes in iniquity, and have no desire for plunder, and if riches abound do not rest your heart upon them.' 7 Saint Chromatius of Aquileia, from Tractate 16 on the Gospel of Saint Matthew 1 Mt 6. 19-21 2 Mt 19.25 3 1 Tim 6.9 4 Lk 12.16-20 5 Psal 38.7 6 Mt 19.21 7 Psal 61.11