Miscellaneous

Something for Sunday Morning

The Oath of Small Love

I shall bear the idiosyncrasies of others with patience.
I shall bear the clownish actions of my neighbor with patience.
I shall bear the troublesome ways of my neighbor with patience.
I shall conquer my moods.
I shall conquer my passions.
I will mortify my lesser inclinations.
I shall strive against my aversions and repugnances.
I shall acknowledge my imperfections.
I shall take continual pains to keep my soul in equanimity.
I shall love my littleness.
I shall gently and graciously welcome the contempt and censure of my condition.
I shall practice gracious and gentle conversation and actions.

Adapted from St. Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God, Book 12, Chapter 6

Why I Don't Stay Informed

I'm glad the Establishment didn't succeed in destroying JRE during COVID. It’s pretty much the only way I stay informed to the extent I want to be informed. I agree with Nassim Taleb’s observation that there’s no reason to read the daily news,

Why Weak Fools Can Dominate

Exploring the fool in Christ and the fool in Antichrist. Ivan the Terrible v. Nicholas of Pskov. Nietzsche v. Everyone

Something Tells Me I’d Really Enjoy the Private Letters of Two Men I Didn’t Even Know Existed

It helps to be aware of one’s ignorance. That’s one reason I like to read Joseph Epstein, who wrote a delightful essay for the current issue of the new Catholic journal, The Lamp that brought my level of awareness to the brim. The topic? The letters of George

Read next