The A Catholic Motorcyclist
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
James 4:6
Roy Peter Clark, in his book The Glamour of Grammar, has a rule: Honor the smallest distinctions—even between a and the. Applying this tenet not only improved my writing, it improved me too. It's the humility.
Humility, the only personal quality that Jesus urged on his disciples, does not rank as a proper virtue. St. Thomas Aquinas called it meekness—a potential part of temperance. Humiliating. But if potential for grace is the inverse of pride, it makes sense to pursue humility even in small ways. Enter Mr. Clark's rule.
The Catholic imagination is inclusive. Christ became man to save everyone, Jew and Gentile; master and slave; men and women; and, although not mentioned explicitly in Scripture, motorcyclists. The definite article the sets apart, beyond, above. It is exclusive. The indefinite article a describes one among many; sets the noun it modifies in a group, class, or population. It is inclusive and tends toward the Catholic, the universal.
So what is The Catholic Motorcyclist to do? He becomes A Catholic Motorcyclist—one among many, eager to share the ride, not to own it.
Thank you, Mr. Clark.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. - 2 Corinthians 13.14
Click this link to send an email to The Catholic Motorcyclist
