Choose a topic from Part 2B:
(d) he may seek knowledge from unlawful sources, as fromdemons;
(e) he may seek creatural knowledge without referring whathe knows to God; (f) he may foolishly risk error by trying tomaster what is beyond his capacity.
1. Curiosity, in our present use of the word, is the vice whichstands opposed to studiousness. Curiosity throws aside themoderating influence of studiousness, and disposes man toinordinateness in seeking knowledge. This inordinateness appears ina variety of ways. Thus: (a) a man may seek knowledge to take pridein it; (b) he may seek to know how to sin; (c) he may seek uselessknowledge and waste effort which should be expended in learningwhat he needs to know;
2. Curiosity appears also in the order of sense-knowledge.Inordinateness here appears in an excessive love of sight-seeing;of neglecting study to gaze idly on a meaningless spectacle; oflooking needlessly on what may occasion evil thoughts; of observingthe actions of others to criticize and condemn them, and so on. If,however, one is intent upon material things in an ordinate way(that is. in a way that accords with reason) one exercisesstudiousness, not curiosity, even in the order ofsense-knowing.
"The essence of perfection is to embrace the will of God in all things, prosperous or adverse. In prosperity, even sinners find it easy to unite themselves to the divine will; but it takes saints to unite themselves to God's will when things go wrong and are painful to self-love. Our conduct in such instances is the measure of our love of God."
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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"A tree that is cultivated and guarded through the care of its owner produces its fruit at the expected time.
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St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church
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"Let no one wear a mask, otherwise he will do ill; and if he has one, let him burn it."
St Philip Neri
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