So much of my day, when I'm not in class, is spent reading. With five courses plus a tutorial, I'm reading quite a lot: Rahner to Ratzinger, Canon Law to the Book of Job, Pliny to the Gospel of Matthew. Long hours of reading often leave my mind numbed.
Note that I said often.
While reading yesterday, I learned that in the estimation of one early Church author, there is one thing that Jesus never ever had need of: Metamucil. Valentinus, preserved in Clement of Alexandria's Stromateis, writes:
Of course, I should hasten to add, this is not the Christian understanding of Jesus (well, it's one Christian's understanding of Jesus). Think of how much would change in our language if it were true...I guess you couldn't say "Holy Crap" any more.
It's little tidbits like this that make the slogging through texts so worthwhile.
Note that I said often.
While reading yesterday, I learned that in the estimation of one early Church author, there is one thing that Jesus never ever had need of: Metamucil. Valentinus, preserved in Clement of Alexandria's Stromateis, writes:
Having endured everything he was continent; thus Jesus exercised his divinity. He ate and drank in a peculiar manner, not evacuating his food. So much power of continence was in him that in him food was not corrupted, since he himself had no corruptibility.If this is correct, the next time someone exclaims "I don't give a crap" (or some more offensive variant) I guess you could a bit cheeky, asking if he or she can really presume to be so much like Jesus!
Of course, I should hasten to add, this is not the Christian understanding of Jesus (well, it's one Christian's understanding of Jesus). Think of how much would change in our language if it were true...I guess you couldn't say "Holy Crap" any more.
It's little tidbits like this that make the slogging through texts so worthwhile.
3 comments:
Wow. Just wow.
The fathers didn't get everything right.
too funny!
Inside joke?
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