The Deception of Luxury

By misusing the immeasurable wealth of life, not using it, and acting lawlessly against Paul, they fight not with letters but with deeds. For he proclaimed with word what these hold and rule with works. When they appear clothed, they are seen like walls painted by passers-by. Even children stand around them, laughing at one another and pointing to the writing on the garments; and they walk past, not stopping for long.

There are lions and leopards, bears and bulls and dogs; woods and rocks, and men beast-slayers, and all the skill of painting imitating nature. For it was necessary not only their walls, as it seems, and their houses to be decorated, but already also their tunics and the clothes upon them.

As for those who are more pious than the wealthy ones, having reviewed the Gospel history, they handed it over to the weavers; I say the Christ our Lord meeting with the disciples, each miracle as the narrative has it: the wedding in Galilee and the water; the paralytic carrying the bed on his shoulders (Mark 2:1-12); the blind man being healed with mud (Matthew 8:1-4); the woman bleeding being taken by the edge of the garment (Luke 8:43); the sinful woman falling at the feet of Jesus (Luke 7:36-50); Lazarus returning to life from the tomb (John 11:1-44).

And doing these things, they think they are being pious and putting on garments graced by God. But if they accept counsel, let them, having sold those things, honor the living images of Godd. Do not paint Christ; for it is enough for Him the one part of the incarnation, humility, which He freely received through us, but carry the incorporeal Word mentally upon your soul. Do not have the paralytic on your garments, but seek the one lying sick. Do not constantly recount the woman bleeding, but have mercy on the grieving widow. Do not look carefully at the sinful woman prostrating herself before the Lord, but let the tear flow thick, being crushed by his own faults. Do not sketch Lazarus being raised from the dead, but prepare a good defense for your own resurrection. Do not carry the blind man on your clothing, but the living one deprived of sight.

Encourage with acts of goodness. Do not paint the remains of the dead in a flattering way, but nourish those who hunger. Do not carry the water-skins upon the garments, which He filled in Cana of Galilee (John 2:7), but give drink to the thirsty.

Regarding these things, the proud clothing of the richman benefited us, and not only that, but also what follows. For luxury was added to the purple and the fine linen daily and brilliantly; yet, in both respects, it is of one single mind: to be adorned by useless vanity in delicacies, and to serve the palate and the throat with pleasant sensations.

Luxury, therefore, is a thing hostile to a virtuous life, signifying emptiness and dissipation, excessive enjoyment and a slave-like habit. And while the thing appears to be one, when examined in parts and accused, its composition consists of a diverse, greater, and manifold evil. For luxury could not exist unless increased by many materials. But as for accumulating the materials of wealth, one might without sin fail to lose nothing, unless, perhaps, according to the small measure, as with Job (Job 1:10), it should happen to one both to prosper abundantly and to live strictly according to justice.

Therefore, it is necessary for one living in luxury, first, to have a costly house, decorated with votes, stones, and gold according to the patterns, and to have it conveniently suited to the changes of the seasons of the year. For warmth is sought; the winter is wretched and turned away from the midday sun, having risen toward the North, while the summer is warm, so that it may be breathed upon by thin and cold northern breezes. After this, there is the need for costly clothing for the beds, the couches, the mattresses, and the doors that are about to be clothed. For everything, even the inanimate things, is carefully clothed by those, as the wretched are stripped of their belongings.

Add to these also and consider the silver in the vessels, the gold, the expensive purchase of birds from Phasais, and the wine of the Phoenician, which the vines of Tyre pour out much and precious to the rich; and all the preparation of the rest of enjoyment, which those using it have carefully named. For luxury, increasing daily toward the more curious, already pours out the scents from India upon the faces, and more so, the perfumers serve the cooks rather than the physicians.