Poverty is an easy way to God. Poverty is the mother of humility. It is as difficult to preserve humility amid riches as purity in the midst of delights and luxury. Poverty sets free. When a person delights in and gloats over his possessions, in reality he limits, even loses his freedom. The mania of riches has enslaved him. He is lowered in status, being no longer the owner but the owned. He has subordinated himself to his goods. Such servile subjection become evident in the fever that dominates him and the anguish that racks him when he loses some of his possessions. In short, true liberty is not found except in voluntary poverty.
– St. Anthony of Padua