Chapter V.
Abraham departed from Egypt with his wife Sarah and all his possessions, that is, with the true riches of the soul. What does his return to Bethel symbolize? And why is Lot not called rich in gold and silver?
19. Therefore Abraham departed from there, having his wife Sarah with him (Gen. 13:1), that is, the principal one, not a servant. For this reason it is also said to him: Listen, Sarah, your wife (Gen. 21:12). For she who has stripped herself of the servitude of sins has authority, not slavery. Therefore, the stronger mind has the principal virtue with it, that is, the one that commands the senses of the body, not the one that obeys. She brought everything with her from Egypt and did not lose any of her teachings there. Intemperance, insolence, immodesty of depravity is not colored, the garment of careful moderation is not taken off, the clothing of modesty is not stripped off.
20. He was very wealthy (Gen. XIII, 2), as someone to whom nothing good was lacking, who desired nothing that belonged to others, who needed nothing from anyone else, and who wanted what was rightfully his. For this is what it means to be wealthy, to have enough for one's desires. Frugality has its own measure, but wealth does not, as it depends on the discretion of the one seeking it. He was wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold. What does this mean? Secular wealth does not seem to be praised in a righteous person. Where I understand bodily senses in animals, because they themselves are irrational; in silver, speech; in gold, mind. Abraham was richly blessed, because he governed irrational senses. Finally, he conquered and made them meek, so that they became rational. He possessed a speech shining with the color of faith, purified by the grace of spiritual discipline; he possessed a mind full of wisdom. And therefore, a good mind is compared to gold; because just as gold surpasses other metals, so a good mind is superior to the other parts of human substance. Therefore, in these three aspects of a wise person, namely, in perception, speech, and mind, there is a certain order of progression, just as we also read in the Apostle: And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love (I Cor. XIII, 13). And therefore, the mind is greater; because it is the one that grinds the spiritual grain, in order to produce the purification of perceptions and speeches. The persona of a wise man is preserved everywhere.
21. Finally, it is indicated that Abraham returned to that place (Gen. XIII, 3), that is, to Bethel, from which he had descended to Egypt, so that we may understand that even the righteous, who are placed in the house of God and attentively follow the word of God, are indeed tested by worldly afflictions; but they are not estranged from the house of God and the observance of heavenly commands. To be content with their own boundaries, not to be lifted up by the abundance of riches and by things that flow in accordance with sensual pleasure, is the mark of an excellent mind: to always contemplate the beginning and the end, to proceed from there, and to enter from there, is the ultimate good. But wisdom is good. For no one is good, except God alone. From Him we proceed, created by Him: to Him we return, for to be with Christ is much better. And so that you may know that it is good to agree the beginning and the end, Jesus Himself says: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Apoc. I, 8).
Therefore, since our mind is always with him, let it never depart from his temple, from his word. Let it always be in the reading of the Scriptures, in meditations, in prayers, so that his word, who he is, may always work in us, and so that every day as we go to the Church, or as we engage in domestic prayers, we may begin with him and end in him. Therefore, may the whole day of our life and the course of the day take its beginning from him and end in him. For just as it is necessary to believe and be initiated to God from the beginning of life, so perseverance is necessary until the end. And diligence of the best mind is required, so that it may not do anything irrational contrary to the word of God, which would bring about sadness. It should always be conscious of its good actions and keep the joy of a good conscience. For that which is good is without fear and without sadness, full of security and grace. For the possession of the just is pleasing to God, but there is no degree for the foolish. Therefore Isaiah, with good approaching, says: Pain, and sadness, and groaning will flee away (Isa. XXXV, 10). Also, John in the Apocalypse says: And he, God himself, will be with them and will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore (Apoc. XXI, 3 and 4). For in the resurrection of the righteous, there will be eternal joy and grace, when that good begins to exist with his saints, when they rest in the bosom of Abraham, placed in his tabernacle, which is fixed between the house and the word of God and grace: signifying that the faithful act with innocence toward their author, who they do not have reason to regret having been in this world.
Therefore, simple facts explain the foundations of Abraham's great institutions. He is rightly wealthy, who also enriches the discussions of philosophers, who would shape their own precepts about his actions.
24. The Scripture had already expressed his wealth: it remained to know whether Lot, his grandson and as much a part of his succession, was also wealthy. But the Scripture asserts that he was only rich in livestock. In fact, it says: 'Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds, etc.' (Gen. 13:5). He did not have silver, for he was not yet righteous. For silver is the tongue of the righteous. He did not have gold, which he who saw the back parts of Christ had, of whom it is written: 'And his back parts were like gold' (Ps. 68:14). Abraham saw him, as the Lord testified, saying: Abraham saw my day, and he rejoiced (John 8:56). And therefore he deserved and possessed the appearance of gold.