On Wealth and Poverty

You possess riches of many kinds? Do not forget that in the end you will have a dwelling two paces long and six wide, and one gravestone will be quite enough to guard you.

Often remind yourself that either your riches will soon leave you, or you will leave your riches.

That man is free who does not serve the pleasures of the flesh and the delights of the senses, but rules over his body by reasoned judgement and chastity. He is grateful and content with what God gives him, even if it is very little. As a garment that is too long hinders a traveller from walking, so the desire to acquire more possessions than needed does not allow a man to labour for the salvation of his soul and to inherit eternal life.

What is wealth? Wealth is a good thing… what could I say against it; but even so it is not a necessary condition of happiness. Without it happiness feels quite well, and will feel well, if we are the kind of people who strive first of all to satisfy the moral side.