His Hall of Fame

After the death of coach Morgan Wootten, his family submitted a death notice that appeared in The Washington Post.  In addition to the names of those who survive him and the details of the services, the notice included the following: "The family is consoled knowing that Morgan is now in God's Hall of Fame."  And that is followed by this poem:

This crowd on earth they soon forget
The heroes of the past.
They cheer like mad until you fall,
And that's how long you last.
But God He never does forget,
And, in His Hall of Fame,
By just believing in his Son,
Inscribed you'll find your name.

A Careful Strategy of Silence

From R.R. Reno in the February 2020 issue of First Things:

I recently finished In the Presence of My Enemies by Fr. John W. Clifford, S.J., an American missionary to ­communist China in the 1950s. Clifford provides a practical guide to maintaining moral integrity under conditions of intense psychological pressure. He counsels a careful strategy of silence. Do not allow yourself to be drawn into defending yourself against accusations that have no basis in justice. When you engage, as at times you must, do so with forceful repudiation of falsehoods. Make it clear to those who wish to suborn you that you will not capitulate. When demoralized and weakened by the constant bombardment of propaganda, turn your mind to past experiences of joy and delight. We are not imprisoned under brutal conditions, as Clifford was. But we live in a society increasingly determined to force us to make public affirmations of the latest progressive dogmas of race, sexual orientation, and gender. Clifford’s advice has useful applications.