Wealth And The Church

Quis, rogo, Ananiam et Saphiram rebus propriis abrenuntiare coegit? Sed quia partem percuniae uterque pro sustentanda quasi longa vita retinuit, repentinae mortis sententiam non evasit. Et quia nequaquam juxta abrenuntiatorum regulam contenti sunt vivere, juxta praevaricatorum animadversionem coacti sunt immaturo exitu infeliciter expirare. Et quidem illi, utpote rudes, et ad fidem denuo venientes, necdum fortasse ad plenum evangelica praecepta didicerant, necdum sacri novae doctinae codices ad publicum in commune processerant; attamen qui in ipso fidei tirocinio quodammdo simpliciter peccaverunt, districto quidem, sed pio judicio, sola, ut credimus, sunt corporum morte multati. Nos autem, qui cuncta sacri eloquii volumina novimus, qui innumerabilium sanctorum Patrum vitas atque praecepta post illud aureum apostolorum saeculum existentium, prae oculis assidua discussione versamus, ante tribunal Christi quid excusationis obtendere, quod tergiversationis argumentum poterimus invenire? Ecce longe nobiliores quaestus, et lucra quaeque terrena non modo reliquimus, sed et perpetuam eorum abrenuntiationem non homini, sed Deo potius professi sumus. Si ergo adhuc marsupio nostro nummus includitur, si ad interni spectatoris injuriam quantumlibet pecuniae reservatur, quid illi in reddenda ratione dicemus? qua nos defensionis arte purgabimus? Huc accedit quod illi, vacillante adhuc fide, in nulla videbantur ecclesiastica posse sustentatione confidere; nimirum dum in ipso Christianae religionis exordio ipsae quoque Ecclesiae necdum fuerunt per materiale aedificium fabricatae. Nos autem, qui ubique terrarum tam largissima ecclesiarum partimonia cernimus, ut quotidie, dum mundus imminuta possessione contrahitur, Ecclesia copiosissime dilatetur; si tanquam de futuris alimentis lucrum carnale reponimus, dum nobis in posterum providendo ditescimus, thesauro fidei nos vacuos esse monstramus. De quo Apostolus: Habemus, inquit, thesaurum istum in vasis fictilibus. Et dum cautionem, quam cum Christo pepigimus, frangimus, violatae fidei potius tormenta metuere, quam praemia possumus de nostra conversione sperare. Sanctus Peter Damianus, De Contemptu Saeculi, Caput III Source: Migne PL 145.253c-254b

Who, I ask, forced Ananias and Sapphira to give up their property? But because both kept back part of their money for the maintenance of a long life, so they did not escape the sentence of sudden death. 1 And because it is in no way possible to live by a rule of renunciation along with the deceits of prevaricators, so they were forced to expire in the misfortune of an early death. And certainly they were simple and freshly come to the faith, and perhaps the precepts of Gospel had not been deeply taught, and the sacred books of the new teaching were not yet proclaimed in public, however in this youthful state of faith they sinned overtly, and with a strict but pious judgement, as we judge it, they were punished by the death of their bodies. And we, who know all the volumes of the sacred letters, and who may set in zealous admonition before our eyes those innumerable lives and teachings of the holy fathers after the golden age of the living Apostles, what excuse will we obtain before the tribunal of Christ, what argument for our treachery will we be able to find? Behold, long has gain been more noble, and we will in no way give up worldly wealth, even those who have professed perpetual renunciation, and that not to men, but rather to God. If, therefore, our wealth is shut up in our purse, if we keep back our wealth to the injury of the internal vision, what shall we say, with all reason, will be the return? That we purify ourselves by the art of security? Whence it happens that, with a yet vacillating faith, there seems to be nothing in which the Church is able to sustain confidence, though indeed in the beginning of our Christian religion the Church itself was not something made of any of the common materials of construction. We indeed observe the great patrimony of the Church across the whole world, while every day the world is contracted with diminished possessions, and the Church grows with abundance. If however for future support we lay up worldly wealth, while with foresight we enrich ourselves for coming days, we reveal that the treasury of our faith is empty. Concerning which the Apostle says: 'We have this treasure in earthern vessels.' 2 And when we shatter the pledge which we made with Christ, fearing pain rather faith's violation, what reward shall we be able to hope for regarding our behaviour? Saint Peter Damian, On Contempt For The World, from Chap 3 1 Acts 5.1-11 2 2 Cor 4.7