left QuoteSt John Cassian (c. 360 - 435)

St John CassianThere is no one who has not something to give up.  Those who have thoroughly eradicated the DESIRE to possess riches have renounced all the possessions of this world…. Likewise it is possible even for one who has no money to be in the grip of avarice, and for the blessing of poverty to do him no good at all because he has not been able to root out the DESIRE for wealth…. It would be a wretched thing to have endured the effects of poverty, but to have lost their fruits, through the fault of a greedy will….

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In their many different idioms the classical spiritual writers have attempted to throw light on the eternal question of union with God. 
Every month we give you a brief passage from a spiritual classic.