The Mom Weekly Volume 104: August 5, 2025
You can read this, or any other previous Mom Weeklies, by going to the home page here.
Notes:
The next few weeks will be busy with wedding prep and final details, so I am going to schedule ahead a few of these weeklies.
Remember how much I love you,
Mom
Brief and Brilliant
I attended daily Mass the other day, and the saint of the day was St. Peter Chrysologus.
The priest at Mass said that St. Peter was known for his great sermons, which is why he is known as “Chrysologus.” It wasn’t his actual last name, but a designation that he was a great preacher. “And why were his sermons great?” he asked. “Because he knew how to master the basics.”
The priest went on to say that St. Peter “mastered the basics” by making his sermons accessible to the learned and non-learned alike, and especially that he stayed away from over-intellectualization of the faith. He gave clear, simple, brief explanations of the faith, and the faithful loved him for it. He kept his sermons short! It was a great short homily about the skill and thoughtfulness of being brief in speaking.
A few minutes later, the priest began the prayers of the faithful, and he said, “May all priests trying to pass on the faith, like St. Peter Chrysologus, “be brief and brilliant.” I, for one, as well as a lot of other people around me, chuckled at this, and really enjoyed his self-deprecating ways of promoting brevity among speakers. Several of us talked about it after Mass.
“Be brief and brilliant.”
This advice can be used in so many settings!
“Be brief and brilliant” is a terrific shorthand for trying to make the most when we speak to others. That can take some effort and skill, as I’m sure those preparing speeches for the upcoming wedding are learning. It’s difficult to say the least to make things short! But it is worth doing, as a kindness to others! That’s why there’s the saying attributed to Mark Twain, or Pascal, or any number people, saying “I wrote you a long letter because I didn’t have time to write you a short one.”
Let’s all try to be “brief and brilliant” in our discussions, speeches, and interactions.
Interesting/Notable:
Can Apps and Hacks Really Prevent Jet Lag?–WSJ Gift Link
This seems apropos! I think the main way that I work out jet lag is to “power through” the first day (and make sure to get sunlight), and go to sleep early. That, and staying hydrated, helps a lot.
How a scientist who studies ‘super agers’ exercises for a longer life—Washington Post gift link
The takeaway? Exercise, and specifically resistance exercise (i.e. weightlifting )
Here’s a great quote from the Q&A section of the article:
Q. Is it ever too late to start doing this kind of training?
A. Absolutely not. It’s never too late. This idea that you can’t build muscle or strength as you age is silly. No matter what your age, and I’m not young anymore, you’re fully capable of getting stronger and athletically fit.