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The New Religion: Shut Up and Do What You’re Told
Almost a lifetime ago now, it seems, I hosted a St. David’s Day (St. David is the patron saint of Wales) meal at my home. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, and the member of our company preparing the main meat dishes was Welsh herself, so we not only ate well but authentically. The afternoon featured plenty of wine, good conversation, and even a card trick or two when we got to the digestifs.
Some weeks later, after getting back from what was then a new occurrence to me, but is now routine, attendance at a “secret” Mass here in Paris, I decided that I wanted to celebrate Easter with these same friends, even if the quarantine was not declared over. Easter is a celebration of a higher power than the Fifth Republic, and if friends were willing to risk the trip over, I was willing to host them to celebrate Our Savior’s victory over death. Yet, I fully understood that there might be some trepidation and wouldn’t fault them for refusing. One said yes, one had to check with his wife to see if she would consent, a third said she would get back to me (she politely demurred a few days later), but this response really made me sit up:
Thanks for the invitation, but I am shocked that you would think I might even consider this. So to be clear: I find your attitude ill-informed and foolhardy, and you are putting other people’s lives at risk. The…
