The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. Let us remember our foolishness and pray for the fools we love and those we don’t.
- For pompous fools and self-sufficient prigs, that they may learn with grace to take themselves less seriously.
- For people who cannot tell right from wrong, or down from up, or love from ownership, or liberty from selfishness, that their eyes may be opened and they may see.
- For people who turn their left cheek when hit on the right, or who give their shirt to the one who takes their coat, or who sell all they own and give it to the poor to follow Christ, that there may be more of them.
- For acrobats and poets and kite fliers, and all who do things that are not merely useful, that they may know the pleasure they give to others.
- For people who cannot stand fools of any sort, that they may be spared.
– By a monk of Saint John’s Abbey
Reposted from April 1, 2017.
I love it.
Of course, the first, second, and last may be more pungent if “their”/”they” is replaced with “our”/”we”
There was a time in my life where all actions and matters not intellectual or utilitarian were to be disregarded or even given a snide glance. I thought that the epitome of “human” was a pitch-perfect organic imitation of an IBM System/360 mainframe.
And now, in my late 30s, I realize that I must “feel” (ugh!) I can act not out reason but emotion and navigate the shoals of friendly and romantic relationships with wholism and a love of a lover’s imperfections. I will probably never be demonstrative, but even the stony stiff upper lip stuck faces have beating hearts.
Good!
Terrific!!
I wish I had these for the Mass at which I presided this morning!!
Good piece on ‘New Liturgical Movement’ today about April saints who did theology informed by philosophy: SS. Justin, Anselm, Peter Canisius, etc. The article made the point that unlike the other ‘Abrahamic’ religious traditions, the Christian valued philosophy as a dialogue partner with faith, because understanding was vital and God is not Law but Person. It quoted Anselm’s ‘I believe that I may understand.’ I think that humour should be part of philosophy!
AG.
For tax-collectors, that they may not thank God that they are not like that Pharisee over there.