ON AVARICE

All gluttons eventually become avaricious. And avarice is the worship of idols and the offspring of unbelief. It makes excuses for infirmity and is the mouthpiece of old age. The avaricious person mouths the excuse, "What if I get sick, what if I grow old."

The miser disobeys the gospel while the man of charity spreads his money about him. The man who claims to possess both charity and money is a self-deceived fool. The fool always says that he is interested in money to help the poor.

A charitable man and a miser met; and the miser said that the other man does not know how to give to charity.

The generous man who has conquered the vice of avarice has no cares in the world. The miser is trapped by the vice and can never pray freely to God.

The avaricious uses almsgiving as the reason for his avarice and he ends up detesting the poor. He earns money and pretends it is for almsgiving . When the money comes, his grip holds on to it. 

St. John Climacus

(updated 07-02-02)