cecono-
mus.
vEE. 1 — 7. GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 549
shouldbe added afterrepentance.Hence itfollows,And Ha
saiduntoHis disciples,Therewas a certainrichman. PSEUDO-Hom.de
CHRYS.Thereisa certainerroneousopinioninherentinman
kind,whichincreaseseviland lessensgood. Itisthefeeling
thatallthe good thingswe possessinthe courseofourlife
we possessas lordsover them, and accordinglywe seize
themas our especialgoods. But itis quitethe contrary.
Forwe areplacedinthislifenotaslordsinour own house,
butasguestsand strangers,ledwhitherwe wouldnot,and at
atimewe thinknot of. He who isnow rich,suddenlybe
comesa beggar. Thereforewhoeverthou art,know thyself
tobea dispenserofthe thingsof others,and thattheprivi
legesgrantedtheeare fora briefand passinguse. Cast
awaythenfrom thy soultheprideofpower,and put on the
humilityand modesty of a steward.BEDE. The bailiffisBede,exthemanagerofthe farm,thereforehe takeshis name from ieron-
thefarm. But the steward,or directorof the household,villicus
istheoverseerofmoney as wellasfruits,and ofeverything
hismasterpossesses.AMBROSE. From thiswe learnthen,
thatwe arenot ourselvesthemasters,but ratherthestewards
ofthepropertyof others.THEOPUYL. Next,thatwhen we
exercisenotthemanagement ofour wealthaccordingtoour
Lord'spleasure,but abuseour trustto our own pleasures,
we areguiltystewards.Hence itfollows,And hewas accused
tohim. PSEUDO-CHRYS.Meanwhile he istaken and thrustutsup.
outofhisstewardship; foritfollows,And he calledhim,and
taiduntohim,What isthisthatI hearoftheef givean ac
countofthystewardship,forthoucanstbeno longersteward.
Day afterday by the eventswhich take placeour Lord
criesaloudto us the same thing,shewing us a man at
middayrejoicingin health,beforethe evening cold and
lifeless;anotherexpiringin the midstof a meal. And in
variousways we go outfrom our stewardship; butthefaith
fulsteward,who has confidenceconcerninghis manage
ment,desireswithPaul to departand be withChrist.But Phil.1,23.
he whosewishesareon earthistroubledat hisdeparting.
Hence itis added of thissteward,Then thestewardsaid
withinhimself,What shallI do,for my lordtaket/taway
fromme thesteioardship? I cannotdig,tobegI am ashamed.
Weaknessinactionisthefaultofa slothfullife.For no one