We are wise to note how often Christ suggests that many who listen do not hear, and many who know do not do. It is also worth noting that those not listening nor doing tend to think they are good listeners and faithful doers. It’s been quite a week. We all have reasons to be embarrassed. Lord, help us listen to you, hear and obey.
Our Faustian Bargain: The Friday Update is not designed to offer real-time comments. Indeed, by design I hold back in order to reflect, leaving reporting to others. The violence of this week has already been appropriately condemned. All I will add at this moment is the observation that in dismissing the Ten Commandments we have not gained true freedom. Quite the opposite. And last time I looked we replaced the Ten with ten thousand and counting.
Resolutions 1.0: Harvard Professor Arthur Brooks – whose work on happiness I have cited before – has a thoughtful article in The Atlantic titled, “New Year’s Resolutions That Will Actually Lead to Happiness.” After surveying what others are saying, Brooks notes growing evidence that happiness follows forgiveness and gratitude.
Resolutions 2.0: Apparently COVID changed resolutions. Far fewer are focussing on losing weight. Instead: 71% of us have resolved to acquire new life skills, 66% to spend more time with family, 62% to save money and 58% to work on having a more positive outlook.
It’s That Time Again: It’s been six months since I whined about demographic trends in the US, so here I go. In this piece in Plough Quarterly, Ross Douthat adds his voice to the “we need more children” crowd.
Quotes Worth Requoting: “The most highly educated society in Western Europe elected Hitler, and the highest density of universities per acre and per person is to be found in California. Need I say more?” Malcomb Muggeridge, 1978. “There are only two kinds of men: the righteous who believe themselves sinners; the rest, sinners, who believe themselves righteous.” Blaise Paschal. “Politics is the preoccupation of the quarter-educated.” William F. Buckley
Without Comment: 1) According to a recent survey, 81 percent of Republicans say the Democratic Party has been taken over by socialists, while 78 percent of Democrats say the Republican Party has been taken over by racists. 2) This frequently-cited study suggests that Netflix watchers spend 18 minutes a day (i.e., 100 plus hours per year) deciding which program to watch.
This Week’s Sign that the Apocalypse is at Hand: Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, an ordained minister, closed his opening prayer for the new Congress with “Amen and awoman.” For what it’s worth, “Amen” isn’t a gendered word. It’sHebrew for “so be it.”
Explaining 2020: One way to make sense of 2020 is to note that while “political community” is very unsatisfying, it is better than zero community. And “zero community” describes a growing segment of people today.
A Reminder: Remember, if we hope to see the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we cannot focus on the fruit. We must focus on Jesus and His acceptance of us. It is only through a deeper sense of the Gospel that we move to the point where our heart changes and the fruit ripen.
Closing Prayer: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you, and I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always. Though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my peril alone. Amen. (Thomas Merton – 1915-1968)