26 April, A Chesterton Calendar

APRIL 26th

The modern man thought Becket’s robes too rich and his meals too poor. But then the modern man was really exceptional in history; no man before ever ate such elaborate dinners in such ugly clothes. The modern man found the Church too simple exactly where life is too complex; he found the Church too gorgeous exactly where modern life is too dingy. The man who disliked the plain fasts and feasts was mad on entrées. The man who disliked vestments wore a pair of preposterous trousers. And surely if there was any insanity involved in the matter at all it was in the trousers, not in the simply falling robe. If there was any insanity at all, it was in the extravagant entrées, not in the bread and wine.

‘Orthodoxy.’

Chesterton, G. K.. The G. K. Chesterton Collection [50 Books] (Kindle Locations 44025-44031). Catholic Way Publishing. Kindle Edition.