Caput XXV
The Snares of Power and Pride
Odo warns rulers that power breeds pride and covetousness, urging them to humble themselves under God's mighty hand rather than boast in earthly authority.
So don't let these threats overtake you, O rulers — if you are powerful, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God; remember what vices most closely accompany power.✦ For the powerful are accustomed to be proud of temporal things, to rejoice in them, and — so that they may have something to spend lavishly or to keep — they are accustomed to covet what belongs to others. Against pride, Scripture says: 'Why are you proud, O earth and ash?' (Eccli. X, 9.)
The Vanity of Worldly Joy and Greed
Scripture is cited to show that temporal joy ends in sorrow and that avarice is nothing less than idolatry, binding the greedy soul to false worship.
Against temporal joy it is said: 'Laughter will be mingled with grief' (Prov.✦ XIV, 13). For how will the greedy person be innocent, since plainly the holy Apostle even compares greed to idols, saying: 'Avarice, which is the worship of idols' (Eph.✦
Gregory on Avarice and the Call to Generous Detachment
Saint Gregory is invoked to reinforce that enslavement to avarice is inseparable from idolatry, deepening the scriptural argument of the preceding pericope.
(Lev. 5); and Saint Gregory, arguing on this very point, maintains that anyone enslaved to avarice is not yet free from the worship of idols.
Generosity, Justice, and Contentment
The powerful are commanded to place their hope not in uncertain riches but in God, to give generously, to use only what is their own, and to be content with their due—following John the Baptist's instruction to soldiers.
They are also commanded not to put their hope in the uncertainty of riches, but to do good to God and give generously. And so that they may use only what is their own and not what belongs to others, John the Baptist tells them: 'Do no one any violence, bring no false charge, and be content with your wages' (Luke✦ 3:14).✦
Read the original Latin
Ne igitur, o principes, comminationes istae vos maneant, si potentes estis humiliamini sub potenti manu Dei; mementote qualia vitia vicinius potentiam comitentur. Solent enim potentes superbire, de temporalibus gaudere, et ut sit quod abundanter expendant, vel habeant, solent aliena concupiscere. Contra superbiam namque Scriptura dicit: Quid superbit terra et cinis? (Eccli. X, 9.) Contra temporale gaudium dicitur: Risus dolore miscebitur (Prov. XIV, 13). Nam quomodo innocens erit cupidus, quoniam videlicet cupiditatem Apostolus sanctus etiam idolis comparat, dicens: Avaritia, quae est idolorum servitus (Ephes.
V, 5); et sanctus Gregorius de hac disputans perhibet, quia quisquis avaritiae subjectus est, a cultu idolorum adhuc liber non est? Jubentur quoque non sperare in incerto divitiarum, sed in Deum bene facere, facile tribuere. Et ut suis tantum, et non alienis utantur, dicit eis Joannes Baptista: Neminem concutiatis neque calumniam faciatis, et contenti estote stipendiis vestris (Luc. III, 14).
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Pet.5.6 — Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.
- ↩Prov.14.13 — Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.
- ↩Eph.5.5 — For this you know, recognizing that no sexually immoral or impure person, nor any greedy person (who is an idolater), has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- ↩Luke.3.14 — Soldiers also asked him, 'What should we do?' And he said to them, 'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be content with your wages.'
- ↩Luke.3.14 — Soldiers also asked him, 'What should we do?' And he said to them, 'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be content with your wages.'
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