Two Lords

Nemo potest duobus dominis servire: aut enim unum odio habebit, et alterum diliget: aut unum sustinebit, et alterum contemnet. Videamus in primis, quomodo dicta praecedentia subsequantur verba praesentia. Superius praecepit eleemosynas facere, dicens: Thesaurizate vobis thesauros in caelo, quoniam qui thesaurizaverit thesauros sibi in caelo, ille cor habet in caelo, et spem ad Deum: ille habet oculum animae simplicem, id est, mentem mundam et spiritualem, et semper non terrena, sed caelestia meditantem. Qui autem habet mentem mundam et spiritualem, ille potest corpus suum servare lucidum, id est, sine peccato. Qui autem non facit eleemosynas, nec cor habet in caelo, nec spem in Deum: nec mentem mundam et spiritualem, neque potest corpus suum servare lucidum, id est, sine peccato: quia nemo potest duobus dominis servire, Deo et mammonae, id est, divitiis. Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, Homilia XVI Source: Migne PG 56.722

No one is able to serve two Lords, for he either hates one and loves the other, or he cleaves to one and despises the other. 1 First let us see how the things which were said previously lead to the present words. Previously He commanded alms giving, saying, 'Heap up for yourself treasure in heaven,' because he who heaps up treasure for himself in heaven, he has heart in heaven, and his hope is in God, and he has cleansed the eye of his soul, that is, his mind is pure and spiritual, and he is always thinking on the things of heaven and not the things of earth, and he who has a pure and spiritual mind, he is able to make his body all light, that is, to be without sin. 2 But he who does not give alms, he does not have his heart in heaven, nor does he hope in God, nor is his mind pure and spiritual, nor is he able to make his body all light, that is, to be without sin, because no one is able to serve two lords, God and Mammon, that is, wealth. Opus Imperfectum on Matthew, from Homily 16 1 Mt 6.24 2 Mt 6.2-4, 19-22