The Tyranny of Thanksgiving

Why bother?

 

A glance around my Facebook feed this morning produced some sharp contrasts.

There were all the usual suspects, rounded up and smiling: professional family portraits, amateur shots of glowing landscapes, pictures of pies galore. Most were captioned with some permutation of the word “thankful.”

Then there were the others. Quotidian. Candid.

“Just having stress-free cereal and playing Minecraft this morning because it’s what we like to do.”

“I used to try to do all the fixings, but this year I’m just doing what I like.”

“I’m going out for Chinese food.”

“The stress of the turkey fixings is on its last gasp in society. I just don’t care enough to bother anymore.”

“I made my pumpkin pie on Tuesday. Why wait?”

Why wait, indeed? In a society that can have anything at any moment, what value is there in being forced to mark special days off with food and feasting and fellowship? Isn’t it all just a bunch of unnecessary bother and work? And believe me, I know the sort of work Thanksgiving involves. You have to travel. You have to dress up, or clean up, or shut up about politics, or step up and volunteer to make the yeast rolls (even though you have two kids with the sniffles at home). Your mother interrupts your precious day off of school and demands that you hand-peel twenty pounds of damp potatoes. You have to plot and plan how to use the oven for days ahead of schedule—and then it breaks. Why put up with all those demands? Why put up with the tyranny of Thanksgiving expectations—familial, edible, or personal? Can’t we all just sit at home and eat Chinese in peace? 

Book of the Month October 2022: De Doctrina Christiana

 

You know, someone really needs to paint a good portrait of Augustine of Hippo that doesn't involve A) a miter or B) a flaming heart. One can only take so much Roman iconography, after all, but there doesn't really appear to be a viable alternative amongst the vast resources of the Googles.

But aside from the fact that he's been the subject of a rather terrible set of portraits, the man has a distinguished track record. Writing October's Book of the Month would be an example. While hardly known at all today compared to his even greater works Confessions and City of God, this was a key text for many men in the medieval period, such as Cassiodorus Senator.

De Doctrina Christiana (translated as either "On Christian Teaching" or "On Christian Doctrine") was composed in two major chunks: the first was finished about 397 A.D., and the last book was finally added about thirty years later. In it, Augustine set out to provide the reader with the knowledge necessary to understand and teach the Scriptures. Beginning with his famous distinction between things to be enjoyed (only God) and things to be used (everything else) he lays out a path that leads to wisdom. One major step on that journey is knowledge, and most human knowledge is gained though signs (such as, say, letters). Thus Augustine lays the groundwork for both medieval literary accumulation (particularly in the monasteries) and modern semiotics. [For a fascinating fusion of the two, see Eco's The Name of the Rose] He then proceeds to attempt to adjust the rhetorical training of his pagan career with Christianity's needs, leading to his famous "plundering the Egyptians" metaphor that is itself often plundered by the modern classical movement.

This was most fascinating to take in parallel with Benedict's Rule for Monasteries, although that will probably wind up being a separate post someday. Suffice to say I think there's some interesting connections in there, particularly about holiness, literature, and learning.

If you're interested in classical rhetoric or education, definitely take a look at this one. Just make sure to find a good guide--there's a lot flying under the surface of this text.

The Myth of the Silent Majority

 

It turns out all the assumptions of the Conservative political project were built on sand.

For years, the “normal folks” assumed that the small-town America of the 1980s was still lurking, unseen, around the corner. That when the crazies (on either end of the spectrum) raised one flag too many, pushed a little too hard, or assumed a bit too much, the “Silent Majority” would rise up and toss them all out. That A-mericuh—Land of the Red, White, AND Blue—would resume its customary sanity and we could all go back to normal. That folks just wouldn’t stand for any more of that s---.

They were wrong.

Commonplaces--October 2022

“In an orator, however, we must demand the subtlety of the logician, the thoughts of the philosopher, a diction almost poetic, a lawyer’s memory, a tragedian’s voice, and the bearing almost of the consummate actor. Accordingly no rarer thing than a perfected orator can be discovered among the sons of men. For attributes, which are commended when acquired singly, and that in modest degree, by other craftsmen in their respective vocations, cannot win approval when embodied in an orator unless they are all assembled in perfection.”—Cicero, De Oratore I.xxviii

“Yet assuredly endeavors to reach any goal avail nothing unless you have learned what it is which leads you to the end at which you aim.”—Ibid., I.xxix

“For to my mind he is no free man, who is not sometimes doing nothing.”—Ibid., II.vi

Those Thirsty for the Water of Life

Rev 21:6 “And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will inherit all things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

Lord, you are the one seated on the throne, both in the heavens above and in each of our hearts. You are the great gift-giver, whose gifts are trustworthy and true. Some of those gifts are harder to bear; some of them press us down with pains and sorrows and worries and doubts. Help us to remember that we are given these things because we need them—that we may not grow fat and lazy and forget you, as your people so often have. If we are your heirs, your sons in Christ, than we have your ear. Give it to us now.

We lift up those thirsty for the water of life. Without it, our flimsy flesh breaks down with cancer, failure, sickness, and pain. We pray for all those who are dealing with such things, and ask for a sip of healing in this life, that they may have a sweet taste of the world to come, where they can drink deeply and without payment. Especially we pray for the Flickners and Tristan, that you would not test them beyond what they can bear, but quickly bring them the cool draughts of the river of life.

We lift up those who go out to conquer. Each of us has many trials coming this week—trials we are ignorant of until they leap upon us with outstretched claws. Help us to rely on your strength, your armor, and your tactics in our battles! Give Paula Nadreau and the Madsens peace and victory as they go out to capture immortal souls among the nations; far from home but not from their Captain. Give our expectant mothers and church officers peace and victory as they build immortal souls from the ground up. Give those in the training camps of our schools, college, and ministries peace and victory as they build warriors for Christ one idea at a time. Do not let them grow weary in doing good work. And give the civil realm peace where ever your people gather, that they may do all this without distraction.

We know we do not ask this in vain, for you are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, and you have promised to have us inherit all things. Nothing can stand against such a promise, for we have it written down in a sure word, and even our pains and doubts cannot block it out.

Amen

[Given at King's Cross, Reformation Sunday, Oct. 30th, A.D. 2022]

A Commonplace Against Those Who Take the Lord's Name in Vain

 [Composed as an example of the exercise for my writing students. The "commonplace" gave a student the skills to manipulate an audience's pathos, or emotions, and provided training for conclusions of full speeches]

[Prooemion] Christians are called to use our words with care, honor, and respect. This applies clearly to the name of God, our Maker and Creator.

[Contrast with the opposite]

We serve a God who does not merely use words, but is the Word Himself, whose name is the foundation of all existence. He has given that name to his greatest creation, mankind, and he has told us to carry it with honor in the third of the Ten Commandments. Those who follow Him in this will be blessed in both word and deed. Their words will be precious pearls, found in the least likely places.

[Expansion]

Who, then, are those who break this commandment? They are men, women, boys and girls, who take the most sacred word known to humanity—the one God gave us to represent himself—and trample it in the dirt. Taking the Lord’s name in vain is not only the frivolous use of cursing, bringing the name of God out to cover a stubbed toe or a hammered thumb. This is evil, but it is not the highest evil under this commandment. No, it may be seen in anyone who claims to bear the name of the Son of God, a Christ-ian (or we may say a “little Christ”) who does not live every moment as though this was true. This is hypocrisy, high-handed lying about God; the kind of lying that men do even while claiming to be one His people. Any man who does not tell the whole truth about who God is (and who he is) every second, of every day, is a breaker of this commandment: a blasphemer! They are sinners, and not small sinners, but sinners flirting with hell-fire itself.

[Comparison with something less bad]

A thief is a terrible thing. He uproots prosperity and strikes at the very pillar of civilization. But one who takes God’s name in vain is often far more guilty than any thief ever could be. A thief steals from men; a blasphemer steals from God. A thief may commit his crime at most a few times in a day; a blasphemer’s every word may betray him. A thief’s crime is easily measured, but who can quantify a personal slight against the infinite Ruler of Heaven and Earth and all within them?

[Maxim]

Few men will dare to insult a great man in his presence. But thousands easily scoff at the vast majesty and glory of God; they speak words with no thought of their meaning or outcome. What else can this be but true madness? As Cicero said, “What so effectually proclaims the madman as the hollow thundering of words—be they never so choice or resplendent—which have no thought or knowledge behind them?” And what else can be uttered in frustration and anger, empty of meaning? This is truly the path of the insane, chasing death and destruction not just with their feet but with their tongues.

[Wicked Intent/Origin]

Of course, their wicked path may have started long before this moment. A high-handed blasphemer does not wake up one day and decide to curse God to His face. They sin gradually, first becoming content with not telling the whole truth, but only part of it. They tell themselves they are doing it to help others, to spare them pain, to shield them from “the real truth.” Then they move on to deliberately obscuring their words and actions. They grow in deception and darkness with every lie about God they utter. Finally, they become true hypocrites, vipers with poison under their tongues, the sort all Christians should fear becoming!

[Rejection of Pity]

So often we hear that this is “just a little sin.” Using the Lord’s name in vain is “just an accident” or “a tiny habit” or “an unfortunate slip-up.” These people ask us to excuse them because their sin is so small. But is this what God thinks? Hear what he says: “You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His Name.” If God will not absolve them, if He considers it important enough to list before murder and adultery, than who are we to pity and ignore this fault? We must stand against these blasphemers with all the strength we can muster!

[Final Appeal]

We condemn those who take the Lord’s name in vain because it is just; the Lord Himself wrote it into his law. He does not change, and so why should we by ignoring this fault? Further, it is most beneficial to the health of the Body, for squashing this sin early will prevent many others from fouling our churches, the beautiful Bride of Christ. If we do not wish for murder or covetousness to be our topics of conversation, then we must begin with our smaller words and actions; we must live as those marked with the insignia of Jesus: bread and wine and water. It is appropriate for us to do this—for we follow Christ, who condemned in the strongest terms those who blasphemed the Holy Spirit. Though it may be difficult to convince others in our corrupt and lewd culture to be careful with their mouths and deeds, yet we know it is possible, for “with God, all things are possible.” So let us put these men and their filthy mouths in the dust bin of history—where they belong.

Benedict's Rule: Living Life by Worship

 The modern man lives his life by the clock--and his clock is married to the money. 

Modern time is usually measured simply by what we earn or don't earn. Think of any time measurement, and notice how it is tied to labor and pay: the work week, business hours, overtime, the school year (when the kids work), etc. Most of the remainder are tied to labor's absence: the weekend, after hours, vacation, sick leave, summer, overtime. Even our holy-days have become little more than days where, for some long-forgotten reason, most people don't work. We've taken the saying "Time is money" to ultimate perfection.

The Christian may notice all this and smell something rotten. We may mutter about "bad for human flourishing" and "modern idols" and "burnout." But few of us would have the courage to walk away from our own system, to live live by some other beat and drum. Suppose someone walked up to you and suggested that you should pray more; you would nod energetically. Quite a good idea. You really need to pray more.

Then he suggests you start with about five hours per day.

But, but...I can't do that! you think. I have...work...

Commonplaces: August /September 2022

 “Let us not claim for ourselves more license in judgement, unless we wish to limit God’s power and confine his mercy by law. For God, whenever it pleases him, adopts the stranger into the church. And the Lord does this to frustrate men’s opinion and restrain their rashness—which, unless it is checked, ventures to assume for itself a greater right of judgment than it deserves.”—Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion IV.xii.9

“This is the first law of a minister, to do nothing without a command.”—Ibid., IV.xix.5

“The righteous and Godly man should be ready patiently to bear the malice of those whom he desires to become good, in order to increase the number of good men—not to add himself to the number of bad by a malice like theirs.”—Ibid., IV.xx.20

“[The Lord] is as gracious in the manner of His mercy, as in the matter of it.”—Spurgeon, Morning and Evening Morning, Aug. 17

“The blood was not only sprinkled upon the door-posts of Israel’s dwelling houses, but upon the sanctuary, the mercy-seat, and the altar, because as sin intrudes into our holiest things, the blood of Jesus is needed to purify them from defilement. If mercy be needed to be exercised towards our duties, what shall be said of our sins?”—Spurgeon, Morning and Evening Morning, Aug. 29

“But there is a further development, which we owe (I believe) entirely to Aristotle; a brilliant conceit. (There is no reason why we should not contribute a conceit to him; he was a wit, and a dressy man, as well as a philosopher.)—C.S. Lewis, Studies in Words

A Stroll Through Space-Time

You’re always moving.


No really, you are. Stay as still as you can, freeze every muscle you can possibly control, and there you will be speeding along at the breakneck pace of sixty seconds per minute. Sixty minutes per hour. All the time, every day. There are no brakes, no pit stops, no time-outs. Time has the cruise control jammed wide open, and her highway only ends at the Styx.

Then it gets worse. While you are holding that frozen pose, the earth is whirling you about in a violent circle. For most of you Americans, you’re doing the merry-go round at about 600 miles per hour. On top of that, you’re being slingshotted about the sun at the truly cosmic speed of 1.6 million miles per day (that’s about 66,627 mph, for the NASCAR buffs). It’s enough to make the queasy among us want to hurl.

And in every single bit of that time and space, you are either being more or less like God. No neutral ground, no unimportant moments. An idle remark to a stranger can change their life. A chance glance downward can lead to a car wreck. A sleepy word to your wife over a coffee cup can impact for years. And if even the stuff you say in boredom matters, if even the mood you read cereal boxes and tin can nutritional labels (that’s not just me, right?) matters, then everything matters.

Some people have the idea that there are things that are truly trivial. Things that don’t matter and will never matter. “So you’re saying,” they laugh, “that it matters when I take a bite of cracker, or lose a hair? Grow up! Get a life!”

They glance at their own stopped watch and blissfully assume time has stopped as well. No one is traveling. We’re at a rest stop. We can get back on the road when we feel like it, after the cracker box is empty.

Tick tock.

Book of the Month August 2022: the Hornblower Novels

Lest you think that I am a snob, puttering grumpily about amidst piles of heavy tomes and refusing diligently to read anything a lesser mortal might comprehend, this month’s selection is what might be called “book candy”: the Horatio Hornblower novels by C.S. Forester.

Taut as a shroud and filled with sails, cannon, combat, danger, and courage, this is a boy's set of stories through and through. The series  began with The Happy Return in 1937 and continued until the author's death in 1966; it covers the entire career of a British Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic Wars, from seasick midshipman to Admiral of the Fleet. While thoroughly accurate in period details, Forester carefully isolates his hero from major historical events (Horatio is always off on a detached command or something similar when a major battle such as the Nile or Trafalgar is fought) but manages to give the flavor of the times nevertheless. Hornblower himself is a mathematical genius and a born commander, a man who dwells endlessly on his faults and does not notice his virtues—the fact that he claws his way up a notoriously favor-ridden navy by sheer pluck, luck, and merit means nothing to him. It is left to his supporting characters to show us just how excellent an officer he is. Forester does this with a deft touch, switching viewpoints and situations between novels to show different sides of his hero’s character—these are not, like many popular series, the same plot dressed up in different details to sell more books.

A comparison with the more recent Aubrey/Maturin Master and Commander series by Patrick O’Brian, covering the same war and premise, is inevitable and probably beneficial. Between them, Hornblower was the first and slightly more refined series; parents hunting for something for the kids to devour will not have to worry about much explicit mention of unsavory behaviors in Forester. O’Brian, on the other hand, made the brilliant authorial move of giving his captain a companion at sea, which avoids the problem of spending too much time in Hornblower’s morose, self-deprecating thoughts (which quickly get old). He is also more blunt about the sins and horrors of the times, so he skews a bit toward older readership. But readers who enjoy one will probably devour the other—particularly if they come to Hornblower first.

I’ve knocked out four Hornblower novels (The Happy Return, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower, and Hornblower and the Atropos) this month and have enjoyed each on its own merits; I’m planning to continue to the end of the series as I find time and opportunity. None of them (so far) takes a medal as Forester’s best (that still goes, in my opinion, to The Good Shepherd, his WWII novel) but they are worthy of the time spent nonetheless. If you’re looking for a break from the heavy stuff, Hornblower is a good place to anchor.