I read this a few weeks ago in Orthodoxy, highlighted it and then promptly forgot about it.
It has me thinking again, though. Mulling around lots of things: the attitude of our society toward real labor and our unprecedented amount of time for leisure, the noise of social media, the echo of the saints throughout the centuries who stressed the importance of keeping your mouth shut and the danger of an idle life, God's own praise of silence in His word, the example of the holiest people I know who aren't chatterers but listeners, always thoughtful and meaningful and slow to respond, how quick we are to choose the path of least resistance. So much to dig into.
Of course, I can't help but smile at the reality of Chesterton's own penchant for verbosity and that just maybe he could've used a more strenuous honey-do list from poor Frances. ;)
That's it!
This episode of Weekends With Chesteron brought to you again by Sarah. Click on over for more!
And now off to more strenuous things I go...
Haha, this was great. Love the quote and love the idea of Chesterton needing more of a honey-do list from Frances. Funny, I always find that when I'm in silence while working or praying or before the Blessed Sacrament, a peace fills my heart in a way nothing else can. And yet, I am always (*always*) quite the resistant to all things leading up to silence. Sometimes intentionally, and others out of habit. Nice little reminder that it does my soul good to embrace that silence when it comes.
ReplyDeleteStrenuous physical work he was likely lacking. Strenuous intellectual work, however, he exercised in heaps! :) sadly, there is not a lot of either in common culture today...
ReplyDeleteSeems like a good quote to mull over in preparation for Lent.
Everyone is really inspiring me with the Chesterton posts. btw I just tagged you:) Hope you can play, if too busy don't stress
ReplyDeletehttp://sevenlittleaustralians.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/11-11-meme-tagged-again.html