Notes to the self: Believe God, Spy Wednesday, McDonald’s, Robert Herrick on insomnia, no-dog walking, writing snippets . . .

Talk to yourself? Of course, but be careful what you say . . .

Recommended:

• Stay in touch with God: Try this home-grown translation of Faith, Hope, and Charity (time-honored theological virtues), namely Believe God (what He says via Scripture and Holy Mother Church), Trust Him (He’s on our side), and Respect Him (we sinners are well advised to remind ourselves of His grandeur.)

• Keep up with God: On Spy Wednesday, for instance, take note of the politics of the Passion, whereby “the Jews,” i.e. the establishment, play both ends against the middle, forcing Pilate’s hand by claiming Jesus was trying to overthrow Roman rule — heh, he who had said when they were trying to trap him that they should render to Caesar what’s Caesar’s.

  Pilate tried to foist Jesus’ case off as a merely Jewish issue, saying he would “chastise” him and let him go! In the end he gave into their mob-action “Crucify him,” over and over until he said the hell with this and signed him over. Became friends with his rival Herod, by the way, after sending Jesus to be grilled by him. To this rat Herod, Jesus had nothing to say.

Meanwhile,

I see:

• McDonald’s in full swing, ladies galore, 9:10 a.m. 9:23, they leave, all is quiet.

• McDonald’s 5-27-24, small coffee $1.39, cookie $1.29 (on a tray!)

• LaColombe from window, traffic jam for breakfast

I read:

• Robert Herrick on insomnia, from his “To the sweet saviour”:

Night hath no wings to him that cannot sleep

And Time seems then, not for to flie, but creep.

I’m considering:

• Next time I pass someone walking without a dog, to ask him or her or them if there’s something I can do.

• Big idea discovered months ago and exemplified in these very pages: Deal in snippets. Go find them in my jottings and elsewhere that seems worth repeating. Go digging among them, gathering them together for including in a . . . pamphlet? Why not? A pamphlet like you find in the back of church. Stay tuned. (Do not hold your breath, however.)