in modica

[asulavik]

I have transcribed a sentence from a 13th century manuscript, and am having difficulty understanding how "in modica" operates in the sentence.
Here is the full sentence:

Modo est tempus mercandi paradisum, et post mortem tanta erit penuria quod in modica poterit homo bene operari.

Translated as:
Now is the time to purchase paradise, even after death (a man's) penury will be so great that he could do good works in modica??

 

[Laurentius]

Maybe it still refers to penuria, making a comparison with the previous sentence. Are you sure about that "even"? "Et" here looks like a normal conjunction to me.

 

[asulavik]

If it does, should the sentence now read:
Now is the time to purchase paradise, and after death (a man's) penury will be so great that in (that) small (penury) he could do good works.

 

[Laurentius]

I was thinking like "...that in a small (penury) he could do good works", meaning that a small amount (of time in life?) is still better than no time at all (after death?). But really, I am not sure.