Which things, tell me, are yours? Whence have you brought your goods into life? You are like one occupying a place in a theater, who should prohibit others from entering, treating that as his own which was designed for the common use of all. Such are the rich. Because they preoccupy common goods, they take these goods as their own. If each one would take that which is sufficient for his needs, leaving what is superfluous to those in distress, no one would be rich, no one poor ... The rich man is a thief.
Basil of Caesaria was the Bishop Caesaria Mazaca in Cappadocia, Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He was sainted in both the Western and Eastern traditions of Christianity. He gave away his family inheritance to help the poor.
No comments:
Post a Comment