Catholic Men’s Conference at FUS

This past weekend, I attended a men’s conference at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.  I’d like to share a few thoughts from the weekend and a few challenges that correspond.

First off, we are all sinners.  No matter how long you’ve been involved in your faith, or how many ministry ‘things’ you attend, or the number of men you’ve spoken to at conferences or how old you are… we all have room to grow.  Keep working on getting better!  It’s a daily thing, not just a 60 minute thing on Sundays.

Secondly, the vast majority of the Catholic population doesn’t live for Christ.  They live for themselves.  We all must turn away from sin and have a conversion.  On Friday night of the conference, the evening’s speaker spoke of how St. Paul wrote about baptism.  The imagery that St. Paul used showed that the waters of baptism are not waters of life (as most believe), but actually waters of death.  These waters of death kill off the old self and require us to be born anew in Christ Jesus.  The coming out of the waters requires us to live differently.  This different way of life is radically different from what the world tells us life is all about.  The reward of this life is not of this world, but of life eternal with God in Heaven.

Lastly, I want to convey the incredible need for additional men’s ministry programs around the country.  We need to have a men’s ministry program everywhere and need to reach out to more men.  No one man can do it all.  So, if you are in an area that doesn’t have anything for men, then get started!  I can get you the resources needed to start small faith formation groups, or to start a men’s conference, or do to weekend retreats, or whatever it may be that you’re looking for.  The important element here… if there’s a need, then step up and fill the gap.

TrueMan up!

The Power of a Purposeful Lent

Today is the start to the Liturgical Season of Lent.  Lent is often times looked at as a set of rules about not eating meat on Fridays and a time of giving something up; a fairly militaristic/dictatorial outlook if you ask me.  I’m not going to get into the specifics about fasting and why we do it, or about what the Church teaches about Lent.  What I want to get into is the power that a purposeful Lent can have for a person.  As with most things, if we choose to “get by” with the minimum, we’re not going to get much out of it.  If, however, we decide to embrace the teachings and challenges of Lent, I believe that we will gain a great deal. 

For many of us, Lent tends to be a time of re-commitment, year after year.  In order for Lent to be powerful and to make a difference this year (as opposed to Lent being just a period of 40 days that bore no spiritual fruit – like last year), we must be purposeful in our decisions and lifestyle.  I suggest that you write you plan down.  After you write your plan down, read it regularly.  I also suggest that you tell someone else your plan so that they can hold you accountable to your word.  Do the same for them.

I suggest that everyone not only give something up (broccoli and peas don’t count) but add some things as well.  I typically add a form of prayer, a form of discipline and a form of service to my fasting choice(s).  This year, my wife and I (for our family) decided to only purchase the essentials at the grocery store (milk, bread, vegetables, fruit, etc. – the stuff that goes bad quickly) and to eat what’s already in the house, including, no meals out.  It’s a fiscal decision and a simplification decision.  I’ve made  a commitment to making a workout a priority again, to praying the stations of the cross every week, whether by myself or in a group and I’m going to volunteer at least one day at Habitat for Humanity.  The “give up” part of my Lenten devotion this year is to only consume water as a beverage, no other liquids (Pepsi, tea, etc).  Ouch!  In your journey, it might be too much to add a bunch of stuff.  Add something, even if it appears to be small.  If you can’t handle the small stuff, you’ll never be able to handle the big stuff.  May your Lent be powerful.

Man up!