THE FOUR BOOKS OF TIMOTHY TO THE CHURCH

No. 3     AVARICE AND THE FAMILY

Many say that the demands to enter heaven seem harsh since we live different lives.  Well raised.  But since all want to partake of that eternal happiness, shouldn't we pay the same price?  Why should others pay more and others less? 

Those who, ill advised, feel they have to pay less usually want to be saved in their hearts but are unwilling to be saved by their deeds.

Let us look at a portion of those Christians, mostly your children, who are prevented from attaining salvation by two impediments a) their possessions and b) what they think as their unbreakable bonds of family connections. 

Firstly, there are those parents who drive themselves to seek money and acquire wealth out of preoccupation for their offspring.  It is like saying you cannot or should not be a parent unless you are rich.  They are unable to love their children unless their wealth increases.  But in truth, what drives them is avarice and greed.  So, in effect, they are saying that one cannot love without greed.  
Then, they continue their silly reasoning by insinuating that fatherliness is a cause of evil and an incentive to vice, and that affection is harmful to all. And since procreation comes from affection, then procreation is evil.  

Parents who think in this manner carry this avarice-disease even to their children for they who live in evil pursuit for gain bring forth wicked heirs.  Hence, their children succeed as much to the vices as a patrimony of their parents.  Their children become wanton even before they possess their inheritance.  Before they receive their parents' possessions, they already possess their parents' vices.  Before they possess those things which are falsely called good, they already possess those things which are truly evil.  

St. Salvian, Presbyter.

(03-30-04)