Abstract
On the example of St Ambrose author describes relation of ancient Christians to poverty and wealth. He focuses on one specific area of Ambrose's relation to the poor and rich, namely to almsgiving.
He introduces St Ambrose as a bishop with strong social awareness, who stood for the poor and searched for solution to their difficult economical situation. According to Ambrose the solution lays exactly in almsgiving, in altruistic sharing of one's own possessions with people in need.
At the same time, it is a remedy for insanity that greediness leads to; and one of the ways of atonement for sins. St Ambrose reminds us what is real meaning of our life, that good will and generosity towards poor is necessary in our journey.
It is not only a social gesture; however, it is a participation in God's plan of salvation and not only in the context of salvation of an individual, but in the perspective of the presence and future of the whole mankind.