Christian Mission and Poverty

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Christian Mission and Poverty

through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 19:24), despair of themselves as not destined to live, surrender all to the world, cling to the present life as if it was all that was left to them, and so diverge more from the way to the life to come, no longer asking either whom the Lord and Master calls rich, or how what is impossible to man becomes possible to God. But others rightly and adequately comprehend this, but attaching little importance to the works which tend to salvation, do not make the necessary preparations for attaining to the objects of their hope. And I affirm both of these things of the rich who have learned both the Savior’s power and His glorious salvation. I have little concern for those who are ignorant of the truth. 3. Those then who are moved by a love of the truth and love of their brothers, and neither are rudely insolent towards such rich as are called, nor, on the other hand, cringe to them for their own greedy ends, must first by the word relieve them of their groundless despair, and show with the necessary explanation of the word of the Lord that the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven is not quite cut off from them if they obey the commandments; and then, in addition, exhibit and teach how and by what deeds and dispositions they shall win the objects of hope, inasmuch as it is neither out of their reach, nor, on the other hand, attained without effort . . . (as is the case with athletes) . . . So also let not the man that has been invested with worldly wealth proclaim himself excluded at the beginning from the Savior’s lists . . . nor let him, on the other hand, expect to grasp the crowns of immortality without struggle and effort, continuing untrained, and without contest. But let him go and put himself under