The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-11-13
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or Ineonsiderats

st. Thomas Aquinas says somewhere in the Sup
plement to the SuYnnld Theological that the con-
demned souls in hell never think of God directly
but are aware of Him only in realizing His justice
IN the punshments He has allowed them to bring
upon themselves by misuse of their free-w Per-
haps ST. Thomas, were he writing to-day might add
a grim little postscript, pointing out a somewhat
startling resemblance in point of direct thinking
Of God between the lost souls in hell and the most
articulate leaders of men earth.
For our leaders of people,-in government. bus.
mess, education press entertainment and the rest
ARE slngularly shy of uttering any direct words
about God,-it is permissible to suppose that they
do very little direct thinking about Him. Indeed
they actually seem to lack an advantage possessed
by their most unfortunate contemporaries in
another realm. They do not appear even to be aware
of God. And unless people are aware of God in His
merces here, it seems only too probable that they
will one day be compelled to render Him grudgng
recognition in His justice
People in what is called civilized society work
upon certain obscure patterns of imitation that they
call enlightenment" but which really amount 10 a
deadly game of follow the leader" in whatever is
the lad OF the moment. This servile practice is
deadly because 1t defeats mans whole purpose of
existence; is douby deadly because it is always fol-
lowing leader without any clear notion of who
lhe IcdueI Is OF Nnefe ne is leading, III Is treDy
deadly because it is accepted as the only reasonable
and enlightened way Of life, whereas in sad fact,
1t IS an enslavement of reason and progress i'm the
solid dark,-and unto death
We are all too ready TO think with respect Of
what Professor Phutt has TO say questions of
truth and morality We send our sons and daughters
to win PhD $ uddei bis sapient direction We listen
10 Editor Schmalz with reverence. We read the
talry-taes of Scientist Schoo and murmur an
eager "Credo." We bow low in admiration of the
advertiser and in alteration Of the loud-mouth who
is forever shouting at us to relax" We dote upon
the eternal value Of annuites. We secure in the
deeply religious thought Of securities.
In the worldly religion OF Initiating the Ignorant
find SNUG selfsufficiency. This inner dullness
fixes tenaeiously upon such things a career big
bank account, place in the diamond horseshoe,
commanding position in some smelly little area of
politics, an uniailing supply of highballs and
blondes and entertainment bought with money
corner m lab collection OF abor-saVing gadgets
little earthly heaven of comfort and relaxing and
pleasure Dullness fixes or several of these
things and cllngs with the stolidty of an oyster
to ITS bed; meanwhile it likes 10 snub sane people
as togles and "stick-inthe mud plodderS," and
persons OF unmodern and outmoded outlook.
Candor will confess that this is not an oVerdrawn
picture of what modern men,-in upper brackets
of salary and upper crust of society," actually live
for and work for. Naturally, there is no thought
direct indirect, of Cod in their existence And
thus there Is no aWareness of Him. Ii is not modern
II is not fashionable, it is not scientific" if you
please, to speak of God and it is hardly more than
superstition TO have the most fleeting thought of
Him.
And yet, in such world as this, traditions get
established somehow Or perhaps we ought to say
fundamental af
and human sanity manages TO throw an occasional
tiny flash OF light into all this modern darkness
Of mind and dullness of soul. Al all events among
those who would be terribly ashamed TO have
Professor Phutt overhear them speaking even in
whisper, the awesome name OF God there is a
tradition that should observe certain occasions
that carry an implication of religion. For instance
they believe firmly in the institution known as
Thanksgiving Day.
Naturally, with human heartness, they believe
IN a holiday, in the sense of day of release from
the rounes of their daily existence. But the point
we make is that they actually believe that Thanksgiy-
ing Day should be day of thanks. They even say
SO For, while they would not for worlds be caught
saying prayer of thanks TO God, they do not find
IL unmodern or unscentifc OF enlightened TO talk
about thanksgiving in a general sort of way, as a
kind gesture OF complaeeney satisfaction with the
universe.
Read the editorials that you will find bobbing
up at you IN newspaper and magazine as November
26 draws near. The editor will talk 10 YOU man to
man, on your duty of being thankful. OF course he
will not presume to say that you should be thankful
to Almighty God. He will never 90 so far as that
But YOU must be thankful The editor will write
some singing prose for you pointing out the things
that demand your nfading gratitude to something
or someone,-you decide that it's church Of your
choice" stuff.
The rV man will glow with the spirit OF thanksgiy-
ing, and will not FAIL in the august presence
OF Professor Phutt and Scientist Schmoo, to urge
you TO your duty His voice will carry all the tender
ness of that of the local newSeaSter telling of the
restoration to little Bobby jerks OF puppy that
had been lost ThankfuneSs is such precious thing
gratitude is such shining virtue. Gratitude to
whom No comment ThankfulneSs TO what? Silence.
And thus people who are unaware OF God who
never think Of God who regard the thought Of God
unseientiic and unworthy of the great palpitat-
ing scintillating modern mind all for thanks
giving. Does IL ever to the loud Spokesmen OF
the people that gratitude for gifts Is necessarily
personal thing. that II necessarily involves actual
recognition Of the GiYer even more than of the
gifts Being grateful in the void is merely silly.