Introspection and a free groaner at no charge!

There was a lot to chew on in tonight's readings in Nicomachean Ethics. I hope my post doesn't come off as too fragmented.

"After spending the largest amounts, he will refuse a small amount, and so destroy a fine result" is a quote I'm going to pull out the next time I serve on an allocations committee at church.

I enjoyed the sections on the virtues such as mildness, friendliness, truthfulness, etc. I like the way Aristotle delves so deeply into each subject. I wonder how much time Aristotle spent just in contemplation about these topics?

It makes me wonder how to incorporate this kind of introspection in a spiritual formation program. So often we rush into defining an answer to every issue before really delving into the subject. The result is too often a faith that sounds great in the confines of the church but is inadequate for the complexities of life.

I did a small group once that was just magic. It was the right mix of inquisitive individuals in a very loving environment. We would go through only a couple of verses from the Sermon on the Mount every week. (Occasionally I still run into some of these people around town and the subject of the small group still comes up.)

The section about justice is begging for a second read. One idea that impressed me was justice being pictured as the mean between doing injustice and suffering injustice.

I'll leave you all with a real groaner:

"...it is more proper to the generous person to give to the right people than to take from the right sources..." reminds me of an old joke. A parishioner complains to his pastor that a donation to the church came from gambling winnings. "We can't accept that money because it's tainted," argues the parishioner. "The only thing that's tainted about that money," replies the pastor, "is that there 'taint enough of it!"