We have many wonderful priests in our modern world who are not afraid to speak out against those in society who are counter to our faith. One of those is Father George Rutler. Known for his deep faith and clear catechesis, has a worldwide audience that enjoys and studies his homilies and books. Father Rutler gathers together the great wit and wisdom in his previous works and combines them into one easy to use reference guide aptly titled, The Wit and Wisdom of Father George Rutler. Let’s see what wisdom we can glean from a few of the short passages.
The new grief therapy
Our college campuses have become breeding grounds for self-absorption. Professors who never attained moral maturity themselves reacted to the election of Donald Trump by providing “safe spaces” for students traumatized by reality. In universities across the land, by a sodality of silliness in the academic establishment, these “safe spaces” were supplied with soft cushions, hot chocolate, coloring books, and attendant psychologists. A college chaplaincy invited students to pray, the implication being that their petitions might persuade the Lord to rethink his political leanings.
What will the frightened half-adults do when they leave their safe spaces and enter a society where there is no one to offer them hot chocolate? Christ formed his disciples in a more practical way: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves” (Matt. 10:16). We are here today because those disciples did as they were told and were not shrewd as doves and innocent as snakes (Calm in Chaos 2018).
The end of the world
All things are temporary, including the Temple in Jerusalem and the World Trade Center in New York. What matters is not when the world will end, or even when we will end, but rather the fact that we will end, and by God’s grace be raised to glory. This is great news from the viewpoint of all the saints, who with the angels join us at the altar at the Sanctus of the Mass (A Year with Fr. Rutler 2017).
Cheshire cats
Those who sit on the sidelines of the age’s greatest debates, grinning knowingly like Cheshire cats, not volunteering a view and faulting those who do, may go through life innocent of criticism, but they are not innocent of the sin of omission. More than one saint has said that Hell is full of closed mouths (Calm in Chaos 2018).
Our debt terms
All of us are indebted to God: none of us has enough to pay the debt. God is willing to forgive the debt, but the condition of the absolution is that we grant it to those around us (Hints of Heaven 2014).
Communion
The only way to make a worthy Communion is to make a humble confession (A Year with Fr. Rutler, 2017).
Regret
If there is any regret at all in Heaven, it may be the realization that in our short span in this temporal world, we did not discern the magnificence of ordinary things and did not perceive our true home in the House of God (A Year with Fr. Rutler).
Father George Rutler is a great apologist and presents theology in an interesting and witty way that will keep the reader engaged and challenged. When pondering just these few passages, we can find ways to change our lives and make them more for God and not live just for ourselves. The Wit and Wisdom of Father George Rutler by Fr. Rutler gives us wisdom to live our lives in today’s modern day world while holding true to the Catholic faith.
