It takes decades of living to finally come to the end of yourself. When you do, it is possible to see the grandeur of eternity which dwarfs the frustrations of today. A focus on all the temporal fights of the moment obscures the opportunity to go deeper and look at the spiritual realities that underlie the conflict. While there is a benefit to keeping up with the controversies of the world, it is wise to read one old book for every new bit of social media you consume. Reading wisdom ensures our minds are shaped by works that have stood the test of time. You need it in equal proportion to contemporary nonsense. Too many allow disillusionment to set in because they have not considered the eternal significance of their life. They have not lived in other times and places through reading. If they had, they would know that assumptions about human nature and society have differed dramatically through time and country. The distillation of the brilliant ideas of the past can put us in touch with the ways of Providence and help us to promote the good in our own time.
The eternal justice of God will right the wrongs of this world, but until the day of perfect justice we have a duty to do what is right to the best of our abilities. If we apply the constancy of timeless truths to the ever shifting problems in the world, we can weather the storm much better than those who have built their house on sand. Imbibing, embodying and communicating truth allows us to hold out against the destructive tendencies of the time. Even if the chaos of the Left ruins the most just order that the world has ever known, it will be those who have kept order and truth in their own house who will help restore what is good to society. But it starts with men who keep their domain from running into wild ruin, whether the outside world falls into chaos or not. Father’s must take the lead in this reconstruction of the world by filling their children’s’ minds with The Way of Jesus.
Based on insights from:
One Corpse Too Many by Ellis Peters- A novel that is primarily a murder mystery but has several excellent insights about what the individual can do to serve God even in times of chaos.
The Essay “Learning in Wartime” found in The Weight of Glory by CS Lewis- This essay shows how good thinking is the duty of the Christian.
The Lecture by Paul Vitz in Socrates and the City- The lecture highlights how important Fathers are in the spiritual lives of their children.
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