Jesus said to him again, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus said to him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” “Lord,” he said to him, “you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep."
“Verily verily, I say to you,
when you were young
you dressed yourself
and walked where you liked.
But when you are old,
you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will gird you
and take you where you would not like to go.”
He said this to indicate the kind of death through which Peter would glorify God. After this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
John 21:15-19
“The last moments before damnation are not often so dramatic. Often the man knows with perfect clarity that some still possible action of his own will could yet save him. But he cannot make this knowledge real to himself. Some tiny habitual sensuality, some resentment, the indulgence of some fatal lethargy, seems to him at that moment more important than the choice between total joy and total destruction.
With eyes wide open, seeing that the endless terror is just about to begin and yet, for the moment, unable to feel terrified, he watches passively, not moving a finger for his own rescue, while the last links with joy and reason are severed, and drowsily sees the trap close upon his soul.”
C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength, 1945
"And that same evening he went to the Ostian cemetery to teach and baptize those who wished to bathe in the water of life. And thenceforward he went there daily, and after him went increasing numbers. It seemed that out of every tear of a martyr new confessors were born, and that every groan on the arena found an echo in thousands of breasts.
Caesar was swimming in blood, Rome and the whole pagan world was mad. But those who had had enough of transgression and madness, those who were trampled upon, those whose lives were misery and oppression, all the weighed down, all the sad, all the unfortunate, came to hear the wonderful tidings of God, who out of love for men had given Himself to be crucified and redeem their sins.
When they found a God whom they could love, they had found that which the society of the time could not give any one — happiness and love."
Henryk Sienkiewicz, Quo Vadis, 1905
Stocks rallied today on what was just a so-so jobs report.
Smells like teen spirit.
Gold took its usual NFP hit.
Silver on the other hand rallied higher. Impressive.
The Dollar bumped back up a bit.
VIX is now saying we are in a risk extended range of bullishness.
Lots of geopolitical risk out there.
Many years ago, when my wife was expecting our son, we went to Rome.
One day we took the bus out past the walls of the city to Santa Maria di Palma, also known as Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis.
It was a pleasant day, and we walked on on the old road, the Via Appia Antica, towards the catacombs.
All the ruling elite have to offer to us is hate and fear— both of which obscure reason, that instrument of scrutiny which their self-serving actions and policies cannot bear.
Where are we going, Lord?
Have a pleasant weekend.
