For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. Matthew 25:29
“It is important to understand the right use of external objects and pictures of them in our imagination. The reasonable use of them produces for its fruit the virtues of chastity, charity, and right knowledge. Their unreasonable use results in debauchery, hatred, and ignorance.
It is through the measure in which we misuse the powers of the soul, namely its desire, emotion, reason, that the vices install themselves: ignorance and folly in the reasoning faculty, hatred and debauchery in the desires and emotions. Their right use, on the contrary, produces right knowledge and prudence, charity, and chastity.
Nothing that God has created is in itself bad. Food is not bad, gluttony is; the procreation of children is not bad, lechery is; wealth is not bad, avarice is; glory is not bad, only vainglory is. So you see nothing is bad in itself, only the misuse of it, which is the soul’s negligence in cultivating it’s true nature.”
Maximus the Confessor (c. 580-662) in Centuries on Charity, 3, I (SC9, 123) in Drinking from the Hidden Fountain: A Patristic Breviary, Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World, ed. by Thomas Spidlik (Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1994) 125.
Welcome to Lent. The reason we have a season in church history for focusing on giving, praying, and fasting is that we often need to reset our lives to be sure we are on track.
Related to wealth, there is a right use of it and an unreasonable use. When we follow God’s design for living, He often blesses us with wealth. During Lent we root out avarice through right enjoyment and sharing.
Some may choose not to discipline themselves to grow in prayer, fasting, and giving. But there is a danger because these are central disciplines to the Christian faith. They are not optional.
What we have may be taken from us, so our lives will instead be filled with debauchery, hatred, and ignorance. Hear my heart. I am only trying to awaken you to the importance of these formational practices.
We order our desires through fasting and prayer to feast on what will enrich and enliven us. Father, during this 40 day season, teach us the right use of all you have given us and make us more compassionate. Amen.