As far as I can recall, I’ve never encountered the word “nebbish” before; but I’m pretty sure that, whatever it is, I am one. And I’m even more confident of my schlepishness. Mark Shea recently issued some interesting comments (with an apt little Percy quote) on the problem of such like among the faithful:
“Well then,” it may be asked, “if the Church is so mediocre, then why bother joining her?” To quote Walker Percy, “What else is there?” After all, it is not the Church that is mediocre, but only we, her members. The Church is, curiously, something that exists before she has any members, because it is founded not by us, but by Christ. The Church is the spotless Bride of Christ, made so by the Holy Spirit in the washing with water and the Word. We, her members, are generally nebbishes and schleps. But she is glorious and beautiful, terrible as an army with banners.
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