Ogygius Vs Thomas

An important point that Erasmus seems to make takes place when Ogygius’s friend Gratian questions and angers the keeper in charge of the face of Saint Thomas. Gratian states that “Thomas was the most generous to the poor” and personally “lacked money to provide for the necessities of life”. Since he is now very rich as a result of all of the offerings his devotees had brought him, then Gratian states that he would “gladly consent if some poor wretched woman with hungry children at home…after begging the saint’s forgiveness…carried off a bit of all this wealth to rescue her family” (Harrington 186). I thought this notion of helping the poor by allowing them to take money from the donations made to a saint who is known for helping the poor seems
Ogygius claims that the “custodian frowned and pursed his lips, looking at us with Gorgon eyes, and I don’t doubt he would have driven us from the church with insults and reproaches had he not been aware that we had been recommended by the archbishop.” This, at least in my understanding is probably one of the most important part of this selection. I was struck by how angry the two men became and thought that Erasmus uses his words very carefully when describing. I thought the use of “Gorgon eyes”, which describe their stares as being akin to sisters in great mythology who turned the person who viewed them into stone. By choosing this particular language, Erasmus insinuates the extreme anger and immediate termination and banishment of church officials towards people who criticize the accumulation of wealth of the various churches. Therefore, this is a hidden criticism by Erasmus of the accumulation of wealth of churches and the extravagant ornamentation of religious life such as the use of gold and jewels in the face of Saint
Considering that St. Thomas was very involved in helping the poor and even lived a life of desolate poverty, I thought that these men who portray themselves as being protectors of the physical relics and in turn religious beliefs of the saint are dishonoring his desires and beliefs. Furthermore, it was interesting that the men would have been kicked out of the church and severely condemned by the keeper and custodian if the archbishop had not recommended them. This suggests that there is an obvious differential treatment of the people who go to the church depending on their wealth and religious and political connections. This was very disheartening for me because I have always assumed and took comfort in the fact that every single person is equal in the eyes of God and therefore should be treated equally in the Church. Thus, Erasmus is perhaps again criticizing the differential treatment of worshipers by the church in accordance with their economic or political