Another Aspect for Consideration

The things that we pray for, good Lord, give us grace to labour for.
S. Thomas More

It was interesting to me to consider the various comments which were made about the recent posts relating to abortion; not least because some of them made a number of comments about me which were fascinatingly inaccurate . . . which in turn led me to wonder whether or not I have at some point in the past given just cause for them : such as the assumption that I am preparing for ordination to the Sacred Priesthood . . . a suggestion which could scarcely be farther from the truth !

I admit to some theological study; but that is motivated by the quote from S. Thomas More at the head of this pose; because it seems to me that there is little point me praying to God for development both in spirituality and – given that my spiritual inclination is primarily Dominican – the ability to assist others if I do not put some effort into achieving it . . . which means that, especially as a convert, I have to study, and to contemplate, as well as to pray.

Equally, whilst I am quite ready to admit that I may not always make myself entirely clear – expression in discussions about provocative topics is frequently a minefield – my personal inclination is always to avoid being judgemental; hence whilst I am quite ready to be unequivocal about my convictions about abstract topics, I actually try to avoid making what are, or might even appear to be, personal remarks . . . and on consideration I realize that whilst I was not necessarily wrong to relate the content of the comment on which I based that post, I should have edited it to remove the slightest identification . . . because I wasn’t seeking to judge an individual’s position, rather to consider a topic.

You may feel that I give the lie to this observation by last evening’s post about the lady in Ireland : but there I think I am entitled to become slightly personal, simply because the lady has deliberately ‘gone public’ about this precise issue, and made her position absolutely clear . . . which I freely accept was not absolutely the case in the comment to which I referred previously, and which brought me into such opprobrium !

So : I’ve learnt my lesson, and shall try not to cause upset again, whilst at the same time trying very hard to continue to muse in ways which may be of at least some slight interest, and possibly even use, to my followers and readers . . . who are, of course, always the subject of my prayers.