Monday, January 15 : Philoxenes of Mabbug

Come to me and I will comfort you. (…) You have tasted the world’s ways: now taste mine and, if it does not please you, you will flee it. You have borne the pressing burdens of the world and felt how heavy they are: let yourself be persuaded and take my yoke upon you; you will learn by experience how easy and light it is. I will not make you those riches that have need of many things but the true riches that need nothing. For the wealthy person is not someone who owns a lot of things but one who lacks nothing. With me, if you renounce everything you will be rich (…) but if you try to satisfy your greed it will increase your craving. Hunger comes with eating: the wealthier a rich person becomes, the poorer he is; the more money he stacks up, the more he wants to stack; the more he acquires, the more he wants to acquire. (…) So come to me all you who are wearied by riches and take your rest in poverty; come, you owners of goods and possessions, and take pleasure in renunciation. Come, you friends of the world who have only a little while and discover the delight of eternal life. You have had experience of your own world now make experience of mine. You have tested your own wealth, come, try my poverty! Your riches are one kind of wealth; my poverty is wealth itself. It is no great matter that riches should be called riches, but what is admirable and outstanding is that poverty is wealth and humility is greatness.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team