What the Christian Ought to Flee

St. Paul cautioned his disciple St. Timothy lest he become ensnared with worldly goods – a bad state for both clergy and laity.  St. Ambrose speaks on this subject in the following excerpt from his essay, “On the Flight from this World”:

“Let us approach, relying on our prayer of faith to his throne of grace, fleeing the world and its contagion.  This is how we flee the world: by abstaining from sin, assuming the pattern of virtue to makes us unto the image and likeness of God, and extending our strength for the imitation of God according to the measure of possibility.  For, the perfect man is the image and likeness of God.  Thus, the Lord said: ‘Be ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5, 48).  To be in the likeness of God is to have justice, wisdom, and to be perfect in virtue.  The Lord is without sin, so to be in the image of God means to flee sin.  There is not doubt that the man who abstains from sin, flees, for the Apostle cried out: ‘Flee fornication!’ (1 Corinthians 4, 18).  The enticements of sin pursue us; disordered desires pursue us.  But you, flee from this as though from a savage mistress who, should she catch you, would not cease to rest either day or not with her harrying, her burning, her inflaming.  Flee from greed, lest it seize you from within.  Not only is it accustomed to destroy others, but so much more the one who possesses.  Flee treachery, lest it entangle you in its nets.  As the Lord said: ‘When they persecute you in one city, flee to another, and if they also persecute in that city, flee to yet another’ (Matthew 10, 23).  Although it may seem obvious for a man to flee on account of the weakness of the flesh, still it is better for him to flee from the enticements of the world so that he may not be bound by worry over his wealth, by watching over his treasure, or by the desires of this life.  But let him hasten, with the undistracted intention of his soul, for the glory of our heavenly God.  Let him hurry for his crown, lest he be called back by the passions of his body for earthly things.”