Wealth And Fruits

Si ergo, frater, quisquis es, sumptus te delectat acquirere, unde futurae possis occurrere paupertati, veras providus divitias appete, verae etiam paupertatis inopiam pertimesce. Illius namque paupertatis intuitu, facillime paupertas ista contemnitur; illarum comparatione divitiarum omnis terrenae substantiae copia, tanquem littorea alga despicitur, quae pedibus conculcatur. Igitur si vere contendis inopiam taediosissimae illius paupertatis evadere, stude in agro cordis tui optimarum frugum sationibus insudare. Teste enim Apostolo: Qui seminat in spiritu, de spiritu metet vitam aeternam. Et iterum: Bonum autem facientes non deficiamus; tempore enim suo metemus non deficientes. Illud summum et unicum granum in novalibus tuae mentis occulta: quod videlicet cadens in terra mortuum fuirt, et multum attulit fructum. Hoc tibi thesaurus, hoc tibi sit omnigenarum ubertas fugum. In illo acquirendi finem constitue, in illo omnem utriusque vitae fiduciam pone. Dominus enim omnium est, et dives in omnes qui invocant illum. Sanctus Peter Damianus, De Contemptu Saeculi, Caput VIII Source: Migne PL 145.258c-d

If therefore, brother, whoever you are, it is delight to you to acquire luxury, whence you are made fit to come to future poverty, with forethought desire true wealth, and fear the neediness of its true poverty. For by understanding that poverty, you shall easily scorn the other, by a comparison of that wealth to all the wealth of the earth's substance, you shall look down on it as seaweed on the shore, which is trodden under the feet. Therefore, if you truly strive to avoid the penury of that most wearisome poverty, attend to the planting of the best fruits in the field of your heart. The Apostle gives witness: 'He who sows in the spirit, reaps eternal life in the spirit.' And again: 'Not wearying in the doing of good, for unwearying we shall reap in our own time.' 1 That greatest and unique seed is hidden in the fallow land of your mind, which certainly falling into the earth dead, yet brought forth much fruit. 2 This is your treasure, this is your flourishing of every kind of crop. In that established gain your end, in that place every confidence of both lives. 'For He is the Lord of all, and rich to all those who call on Him.' 3 Saint Peter Damian, On Contempt For The World, Chapter 8 1 Galat 6.8-9 2 Jn 12.24 3 Rom 10.12