vER.8— 13. ST. LUKE. 555 righteousness,that by givingto the poor we may purchase thefavourof angels and allthe saints. CHRYS. Mark also thatHe saidnot," thatthey may receiveyou intotheirown habitations."For it is not they who receiveyou. There forewhen He said,Make to yourselvesfriends,He added, ofthemammon ofunrighteousness,to shew, that theirfriend shipwillnot aloneprotectus unlessgood works accompany us,unlesswe righteouslycastaway allrichesunrighteously amassed.The most skilfulthen of allartsis that of alms giving.For itbuildsnot forus houses of mud, but laysup instorean everlastinglife.Now in each of the artsone needsthe support of another; but when we ought to shew mercy,we need nothing elsebut the willalone. CTKIL. Thus then Christ taught those who abound in riches,earnestlyto love the friendshipof the poor, and to havetreasurein heaven. But he knew the slothof the human mind, how thatthey who courtrichesbestow no work ofcharityupon the needy. That to such men there results no profitof spiritualgifts,He shews by obvious examples, adding,He thatisfaithfulin thatwhich is leastisfaithful alsoin much .-and he that is unjust in the leastis unjust alsoin much. Now our Lord opens to us the eye of the heart,explainingwhat He had said,adding,If thereforeye havenot been faithfulin the unrighteousmammon, who will committo your trustthe trueriches? That which is least then is the mammon of unrighteousness,that is,earthly riches,which seem nothing to thosethatare heavenlywise. I think then that a man is faithfulin a little,when he impartsaid to those who are bowed down with sorrow. Ifthen we have been unfaithfulin a littlething,how shall we obtainfrom hence the trueriches,thatis,the fruitfulgift ofDivinegrace,impressingthe image of God on the human soul? But thatour Lord's words inclineto thismeaning is plainfrom the following; for He says,And ifye have not beenfaithfulin that which is another man's, who shallgive youthatwhich is your own? AMBROSE. Riches are foreign tous,because they are something beyond nature,they are notbornwith us,and they do not pass away with us. But Christisours,because He is the lifeof man. Lastly,He came unto His own.