Now let me return to speaking to you, sister Florentina, for whom a familial care makes me anxious. I exhort you therefore always to keep an even and uniform mind, so that you are neither broken by adversity, you who savour the patience and want of Job; nor lifted up by prosperity, you who read that the patriarchs were rich in possessions but humble in mind. For you shall be blessed if in both adversity and prosperity you always give thanks to God; and if you believe the prosperity of this life to be smoke and vapour straightway vanishing. David indeed reigned, and when he abounded in treasures, and with a strong hand ruled over countless peoples, he sings himself humble, and says: 'I am poor, and in labours from my youth' (Psalm 87). And he again says to the daughter of Saul (2 Kings 6):
'I will be vile, and will appear lowly before God who chose me, rather than your father' (Psalm 117). Likewise he says: 'I am a sojourner on the earth and a pilgrim, as all my fathers were.' Never, then, delighted with earthly things, even if the comforts of life press themselves upon you, do not lean your mind upon them, nor rejoice over worldly gains; and you will not be saddened by losses. For it is written: 'If riches abound, set not your heart upon them' (Psalm 61). For things possessed with love perish to the grief of the user; and it is necessary that one be troubled by them who rejoices carnally over them. Do you, after the manner of the heavenly Bridegroom, flee to be honoured in the world. Do not wish to be called by others, or to be, more exalted, you who read:
'Whoever among you wishes to be greater, let him be your servant' (Matthew 20), since even the Saviour Himself, when He was sought by the crowds to be made king, hid Himself. For how should He receive a kingdom from man, He with whom an everlasting kingdom abides together with the Father? But because He had come to teach humility, He declined the honour of men. For remaining in the form of God He humbled Himself for us (Philippians 2); and He whom things heavenly and earthly serve became poor for mortals, that by His poverty we might be enriched. Do you therefore press on in the footsteps in which the Bridegroom went before; and with unwearied steps follow the heavenly leader: lest, while you prove yourself unlike Him by your deeds, He should be unwilling to have you as a partner in the heavenly realms.
For we say these things, that you may make little of, or not greatly desire, earthly gains; or that you may not esteem as great those whom you behold rich in the world. For what even the wicked can possess, the good ought willingly to despise. For God gives to the wicked temporal riches, to whom He denies the eternal; He gives them indeed also to the good, but to those whom He knew would not be proud over them. The good become rich by God's favour, and become poor by God's favour: in both they give thanks to God, who willingly accept the will of God. To the wicked, when riches are granted, they are granted as a penalty, that they may rejoice over them wickedly; and when they are withdrawn, they are taken away as a penalty, that they may grieve over them wickedly; both to the righteous unto glory, both to the impious unto punishment.
What does it matter to you, who have a Rule which you may follow? Look therefore upon the virginity and poverty of Mary: who was so rich in the Lord that she deserved to be the mother of the Lord, and yet so very poor that at the time of her childbearing she had the help neither of a midwife nor of a handmaid, and the very lodging was so cramped that she took a manger for a cradle. But Joseph also, to whom she had been betrothed, though he was just, was yet poor, so that he sought his food and clothing by a craft. Certainly he is read to have been a blacksmith. You have the examples, follow the pattern, lest you wish to entrust yourself to the perils of riches. For those who wish to become rich fall into temptation and the snare of the devil (1 Timothy
6), and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge a person into destruction. These things they spontaneously remove from themselves, whose mind is devoted in the Lord. And very often riches more eagerly seek out those who despise them than those who pursue them. 'Seek,' He says, 'the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you' (Matthew 6).