Important Stuff

“This is the celebration of the Incarnation, when the eternal Logos of God took on a material body, which He still has.  Do not, therefore, join in with the general lamentations about ‘materialism.’ This is a celebration of God taking on a material body. It is therefore a holiday that should focus on stuff. By …

Not a Good Way at All, In Fact

“Picture our various theologies of this folly on Christmas morning. If you open a gift and churlishly refuse to thank the giver of it, then—in our little illustration—you are an atheist. But how, in this regard, is it better to be the pietist and to smash the gift to pieces ‘lest it tempt you away …

A Simple Church Year

“During the first half of the Christian year, remember the five evangelical feast days – Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. Do not look for any commemoration of St. Alphonse the Lesser, patron saint of three-legged cats. When everything is special, nothing is” (God Rest Ye Merry, p. 112).

Refined Past the Limit

“One of the great problems with developed sensibilities in any area is the temptation to preciosity. Overrefinement in art, music, language, or any area does not create the true artiste but rather the insufferable boor. The task is not to cultivate high standards; any lout can do that. The trick is to cultivate high standards …