“Among my people lurk the wicked, who like fowlers they set traps, but they are snares to catch people.
Their homes are filled with treachery, like a cage filled with birds, and they have grown rich and powerful, fat and sleek. There is no limit to their lawlessness. They do not give justice to orphans and deny the rights of the poor. 'Should I not punish them for this?' says the Lord. 'Should I not set my judgement against such a nation?'"
Jeremiah 5:26-29
“The privileges of a few do not make common law. To sin is human, to lay snares is diabolical. They fill their houses with the plunder and losses of others, so that the saying of the philosophers may be fulfilled, 'Every rich man is unjust, or the heir of an unjust one.'"
Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah, 416 AD
"Holiness consists simply in doing God's will, and being just what God wants us to be. Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them. Without love deeds, even the greatest, count as nothing. Our Lord's love shines forth as much in the simplest of souls as it does in the most highly gifted, as long as there is no refusal of His grace."
Thérèse Martin de Lisieux, Histoire d'une âme, 1898
"The blessed John the Evangelist lived in Ephesus until extreme old age. His disciples could barely carry him to church and he could not muster the voice to speak many words. During individual gatherings he usually said nothing but, 'Little children, love one another.'
The disciples and brothers in attendance, annoyed because they always heard the same words, finally said, 'Teacher, why do you always say this?' He replied with a line worthy of John: 'Because it is the Lord's commandment, and if it alone is kept, it is sufficient.'"
Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, Bethlehem 386 AD
"Peter's feelings were hurt because Jesus asked him for a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And Peter said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say to you, when you were young, you would gird yourself, and walk where you liked. But when you are old, you will stretch out your your hands, and another will gird you, and carry you where you would not like to go.' Then he said to him at last, ‘Follow me.’
John 21:17-19
“Thus Peter, as our Lord had prophesied, was “gird” by another, and “carried” out to die along the Aurelian Way, to a place hard by the gardens of Nero on the Vatican hill, where so many of his brethren had already suffered a cruel death. At his own request he was crucified head downwards, as unworthy to suffer like his Master.”
Origen, Commentary on Genesis, Alexandria 229 AD
"Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; So that, at the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal."
Book of Common Prayer
"And we have come to know and to trust the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them."
1 John 4:16-17
FOMC interest rate decision tomorrow.
Option Expiration on Friday.
Stocks did their usual 'all is well' kabuki dance.
Gold and silver were bounced lower a bit.
And the Dollar slipped back to the mid 99 handle.
Bitcoin rose a little.
Slowly, slowly, the steady decline in the prevailing narrative is eroding the confidence and faith of all but the most ardent true believers.
A powerful line of storms moved through this area early last night, and as the high winds tend to knock down large trees of which there is an abundance here, we have not had electric power since 7 PM, and probably won't have it restored until later today.
It provided an opportunity for some reading by warmth and light of the fireplace.
Have a pleasant evening.
