We should call a man a fool who wasted his wealth warming himself before a fire made of banknotes. Do we act less madly in seeking gratification by consuming our precious day in frivolities?
COMMENT: Fr Doyle often wrote about how each day is a precious opportunity to grow in holiness and today’s quote is no exception. We never stand still in the spiritual life – we either move forward towards sanctity, or we regress. How many of us live wasteful lives of frivolity? Even if we are basically “good” people, we can still be consumed with frivolous habits that distract us from our families or friends or our duties in life. Essentially these frivolities draw us away from the holiness and good works with which we should be busy. Of course, we need a balanced asceticism. We all need legitimate leisure pursuits and relaxation. Such activities are both good and necessary in a balanced life. Fr Doyle himself was noted for his robust enjoyment of sport. But even if we do try to live balanced lives, there will probably be some form of frivolity with which we are tempted. In today’s world it is likely to revolve around the internet or the new phenomenon of social media. That’s not to say that these things are bad – they are not! (Especially not this particular site!!). But many of us (myself very definitely included) may need to examine ourselves to see if we have acquired the habit of using these new technologies in a wasteful or frivolous manner.
When Venerable Matt Talbot died, his room contained many spiritual books and it was partly through these books that we have been able to get a glimpse into his spiritual life (with Fr Doyle this process is easier due to the copious notes he left behind). One of the books in Matt Talbot’s room was a book entitled “On Reading” by Bishop Hedley. The following passage was underlined for emphasis by Matt Talbot:
Even when the newspaper is free from objection, it is easy to lose a good deal of time over it. It may be necessary and convenient to know what is going on in the world. But there can be no need of our absorbing all the rumours, all the guesses and gossip, all the petty incidents, all the innumerable paragraphs in which the solid news appears half-drowned…This is idle and it is absolutely bad for brain and character. There is a kind of attraction towards petty and desultory reading of this kind which is sure to leave its mark on the present generation…Immoderate newspaper reading leads, therefore, to much loss of time, and does no good, either to the mind or the heart.
Perhaps these words could more aptly apply today to our contemporary love of gossip, and especially the fascination with celebrities and their intimate lives, as well as to the inordinate use of other distracting social media. Again, please note, that these things are not bad in themselves, but rather it is their misuse that is potentially problematic. And if we are not distracted with news and gossip, there is undoubtedly some other frivolity that may need to be cut out from our lives.
Lent starts in less than a week. Perhaps this year it might be a good idea to focus our Lenten penitential activities on removing these frivolities from our lives and replacing them with prayer, work, time with our family or other acts of charity.
Venerable Matt Talbot