How can someone fulfill his role as an active living member of the Church?

A believer ought to ask himself if he likes to steal (or take away) from others like a raven or to do God’s work in helping others. St. Augustine says, “That ark contained both kinds; and if the ark was a figure of the Church, you see indeed that in the present deluge of the world, the Church must out of necessity contain both kinds, the raven as well as the dove. Who are the ravens? Those who seek their own. Who are the doves? Those who seek the things that are Christ’s.”¹⁰³¹ St. Ambrose adds, “The Church has gold, not to store up, but to lay out, and to spend on those who need.”¹⁰³²

1030 Origen, Homilies on Numbers , ed., Christopher A. Hall, trans. Thomas P. Scheck (Downer Groves, IL: IVP Academic, 2009) 3.3.4: p. 11.

1031 St. Augustine of Hippo, On the Gospel of St. John 6.2 (NPNF I/7:40).

1032 St. Ambrose of Milan, Duties of the Clergy 2.28 (137) (NPNF II/10:64).