Tuesday, November 24, 2015

24 November

Today is not only the birthday in 1713 in Clonmel, County Tipperary of the Rev Laurence Sterne, the author of The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, upon which The Inn is not based, all appearances to the contrary notwithstanding, but also the old feast in the traditional Roman calendar of St John of the Cross.   The compilers of the Pauline rite for reasons best known to themselves moved St John up to December.

The soul that in aridity and trial submits to the dictates of reason is more pleasing to God than one that does everything with consolation, yet fails in this submission.  -- "Maxims" from S John of the Cross