From Word on Fire Blog – The Attraction of Martyrdom

We’re no strangers to the lore of the martyrs: their sacrifice, their bravery, their unshakable beliefs. But why do it? What is the incentive, the allure? Word on Fire contributor Jared Zimmerer examines the appeal of martyrdom and why it’s not only something we crave but something we can do.

Throughout history, men and women have given the ultimate sacrifice for what they believe. Whether that cause is for the good nature of faith, freedom and family or the ever promising yet always short-lived notions of money, grandeur and worldly honor, people tend to find the sacrifice worth the fatal end. The history of the Catholic Faith is riddled with servants of Christ who have endured and glorified some of the worst physical pains known to man. Without knowledge of the good they died for, their sacrifice seems not only vain, but idiotic. However, the transcendent characteristic of their deaths, which can only make sense to those willing to search for it, brands the gruesome scenes worthy of celebration.

One of my favorite paintings, the Last Judgment fresco by Michelangelo seen in the Sistine Chapel, depicts a few of the more popular saints in the way in which they were martyred. There is St. Lawrence with his grate and St. Bartholomew with his knife and flayed skin, St. Andrew with his cross, St. Sebastian holding up the arrows with which he was shot, St. Blaise with his wool combs and St. Catherine with her wheel. These martyrs are put upon pedestals through Church history because mankind recognizes their sacrifice. But could that recognition go further than just human admiration? Could it be perhaps that we were made to “die with our boots on” so to speak?

In the life of Christ, the model of how to live, we find that he was enveloped in his cross the day he was born. An Eternal King born in a smelly cave-like place surrounded by farm animals and hunted by a tyrant, it’s as if the shadow of the cross was already there. We too are born to have crosses. When Christ stated, “Pick up your cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24), He didn’t say, “Go find a cross.” He made the statement as if each of us already had one to carry. That cross, the burden of sin, was given to us the day we were born, thus the need for baptism. So, it might feasibly be that we glorify martyrdom because from the minute our soul entered our bodies in our mother’s womb, we were meant to die to self. Whether our martyrdom is red, through the spilling of our blood, or white, through the purity of our lives, it appears that difficulty and hardship is part of being human. “It is part of the discipline of God to make His loved ones perfect through trial and suffering. Only by carrying the Cross can one reach the Resurrection.” – Venerable Fulton Sheen, Life of Christ

It’s interesting that in a society removed from accepting crosses, there has been a resurgence of super-hero movies. In these characters we vicariously experience something that our souls crave. It seems that every single day one or all of my boys are dressing up as Iron Man, Superman or finding some way to turn a Lego into a weapon. At that young of an age, it can only be considered natural. These fictitious heroes don the very spirit of our beloved martyrs and portray the virtuousness of sacrifice on the big screens. What must be realized is that we have a whole slew of super-heroes in the history of man, many of whom can be seen on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. One turning point for my own faith was in the study of the martyrs. I wanted what they had. Passion, drive and the willingness to die; it brought back my old childhood dreams of knowing and believing that I was destined to be a hero. So, digging further into the knowledge and writings of our Catholic forefathers I found one trait that gave them those virtues: Love.

We were made by love, to love; therefore an act as majestically odd as martyrdom only makes sense in the parameters of love. If you didn’t love your country, you wouldn’t give your life for her. If you didn’t love your faith, the mere thought of accepting torture before denying Christ would have you running for the hills. Seeing that love is an act of the will, martyrdom is the extreme act of love. A mother willing to wipe up the bathroom after an ‘accident,’ a priest willing to get up in the middle of the night to perform the last rites or hear confessions for hours on end, these are acts of the will, small but highly necessary martyrdoms that helps in the construction of our ladders to heaven.

Without a transcendent cause, martyrdom makes absolutely no sense. If you did not believe in an afterlife that would reward you for your sacrifice there is no point in giving it. Nevertheless, if you believe in something greater than yourself to your very core, then you would sing on the pathway to your death, just as the martyrs of the Roman coliseum did. Such joy, such reverence for death, silences a crowd desiring blood. Admiring the martyrs, desiring to give everything for the spiritual battle, is a grandiose but highly reachable objective. What must be remembered is that many of the red martyrs practiced white martyrdom each and every day. Through the example of our new Pontiff we see how shocked, yet highly intrigued, the world views daily, selfless martyrdom. Perhaps the Church has been blessed with Pope Francis to remind us of the beautiful eccentricity of martyrdom.

“Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn’t seek the glory of Christ.”
— St. John of the Cross

Jared Zimmerer is an author, husband and father of four from Denton, Texas, whose apostolate, “Strength for the Kingdom,” teaches about the inherent connection between spiritual and physical fitness. Find more of Jared’s work at JaredZimmerer.com.

What We Do

From the beginning of TrueManhood Men’s Ministry in 2008, the purpose has been the same… to 1. Fight Pornography, 2. Fight “Cultural Manliness” (the idea the world sells about what “being manly” is all about), and 3. Teach Virtue.  Virtue is the key to the Christian life, and when we strive to grow in virtue, we “become like God”, as we read in the Catechism paragraph 1803.  Males (and females) are being bombarded with information about what masculinity is, and the vast majority of this info is dead wrong!

At TrueManhood, our goal is to help men stuck in addictions to pornography and masturbation out of those addictions, while challenging their ideas, concepts, and actions related to authentic masculinity, while giving men a real, tangible, and applicable approach to implementing virtue in their lives.

Founder Dave DiNuzzo Sr. lives out the mission of this ministry by speaking to thousands of youth, college students, young adults, and adults each year, while also writing, and appearing on radio stations, as well as by executing dynamic retreats.  All of Dave’s talks are flexible, as are the retreats.  Generally, retreats are outdoor based and speak to the wildness of a man’s heart.  Please visit the “Dynamic Retreats” page for more info.

Come on this journey with us!  We want you.  We need you.  We want to help.  TrueMan up!

3 Most Damaging Words? – Nope

Have you seen the PSA style video “The Mask You Live In”?  It talks about boys in our culture, and stereotypes of how boys handle the stresses of growing up male, in addition to the struggles of living up to the standards the culture and peers place on them.  There are truths in the video, but I disagree with their take on “the 3 most destructive words you could say to a boy.”  Here’s the video:

The suggestion is made that telling a boy to “Be a Man” is detrimental to him.  If we’re speaking from the context of cultural manliness, then sure, I could see that.  If, however, we’re speaking from the context of authentic masculinity (ie: TrueManhood), then this is absolutely what we should be telling our boys!  We should be encouraging them, teaching them, forming them, and exemplifying for them what it means to be a man so they are able to set a goal and become what they were created to be.  A TrueMan!

We must, unequivocally, call, lead, and guide our boys into true manhood.  We must expect it, and set our boys up to meet the expectation.  If we do not, they will land somewhere on either extreme.  On the one hand, we have a “hyper-masculinity” (other negative words have been associated with this, such as “macho man or machismo”, “bravado”, “meathead”, “jock”, etc.) and on the other, we have an effeminate version of masculinity (which doesn’t even make sense), which is incredibly disordered.  In fact, both versions are a false, counterfeit version, and are incredibly disordered.

Some of the buzz words used, and my thoughts:

• “Don’t cry.”  Men, you can cry.  God wouldn’t have given us emotion and tear ducts if He didn’t want us doing it.  And oh yeah, Jesus wept.
• “Pick yourself up.”  Yes, we’re going to fall.  Pick yourself up and get back on track.
• “Respect.”  Respect is earned.  Give it, and you will likely gain it in return.
• “Proving masculinity.”  Yes, this has to happen.  This is how we grow in virtue, by proving our masculinity.  This is very different from the view the video takes, which is speaking about becoming violent or using violence to be the proof.
• “Closeness.”  This is very hard for males in our society!  It is vital, essential, critical that fathers have a closeness with their sons!  Hugs, kisses, embracing, physical closeness, as well as emotional closeness and a spiritual closeness are all so important between fathers and sons.  (Thanks Dad, for always being close when I was a kid, and now.)
• “Vulnerability.”  Our culture tells men that being vulnerable is feminine.  Vulnerability actually requires strength.
• “Hyper-masculine.”  When masculinity is distorted, it will appear to be either side of the extremes, but never what it should be.

What I don’t like about the video is that it generalizes all of the negative aspects of masculinity overall, as if there is or needs to be some redefined version of masculinity out there.  No, there are two versions of masculinity: 1. The truth. 2. The lie.  That’s why TrueManhood.com exists, to perpetuate the truth, and to help get rid of the lie.  The truth is that a man (a human being with an XY chromosomal makeup) has the God-given ability, and the responsibility, to live up to what he was created for – to live virtuously.  The lie is cultural manliness; the more power, money, sex, and stuff a male has, the more manly he is.  Let’s work together, not at the loss of the truth, but together so that the truth can be proclaimed!

TrueMan up!

7 Days of Super Bowl Stuff -SBXLIV- Day 1

Super Bowl XLIV is nearly upon us.  The potentially epic battle between two of the National Football League’s biggest “gunslingers” will commence next Sunday February 7th, and the game proves to be one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent history.  (It’s unlikely that this year’s game will top last year’s, especially the finish, by my team, the 6-Time World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers!)  Peyton Manning from the Indianapolis Colts and Drew Brees from the New Orleans Saints plan to take their teams to victory, but there can be only one winner.

I hear lots of discussion about these two quarterbacks, who also captain their teams.  On the one hand, you’ve got the likable character of Peyton Manning, the face of the Colts for the past 12 years and a common face in mainstream advertising.  Manning’s intensity and incredible vision on the field make him one of the elite at the position.  He’s been league MVP four times, including this season.  He won the Super Bowl in 2006.  He’s going to be hard to beat.

On the other hand, you’ve got the unlikely story of the New Orleans Saints, and their quarterback Drew Brees.  In 2005, Hurricane Katrina nearly destroyed the Louisiana Superdome, but after a nearly-$200 million dollar renovation, the team made it back to their home and worked their way to an almost perfect season in 2009.  Starting out 13-0 this season, the Saints were highly favored in the NFC to make it to the Super Bowl, and they did just that.  They did it behind the leadership and incredible ability of Brees.  Personally, I think both players are likable men.  I think they show incredible leadership and striking ability on the field.  I don’t have a preferred team in this case, but I’m predicting that Manning and the Colts will end up winning in a high-scoring, (poorly defensed) game.  Colts will win Super Bowl XLIV 38-31.

Ponder this for a moment…

Imagine if, when it came down to eternity, only one “team” was given the prize of salvation.  Only the winning team was awarded everlasting life with God the Father and the losing team, went to hell.  If you were on one of those teams, wouldn’t you put all your heart and soul into doing everything you could to be the winning team?  Well, the fact of the matter is that instead of it being a football game, it’s an actual war.  The battle is taking place, as we speak, for souls.  There is a winning side, and there is a losing side.  The winners receive uncontrollable joy, peace and love with God in Heaven.  The losers receive the exact opposite – the absence of love.  Knowing this, why is it that we allow ourselves to play on the losing team?  We have the ability to play on the winning team and the game has already been played.  Jesus Christ already died on the cross for us, and won us the victory.  You have the choice, today and everyday, to play on Christ’s winning team.  His team is playing for something more important than the Vince Lombardi Trophy.  There’s no time to lose.  Suit up, and play on the winning team today!

Man up!

Man, This Woman Has Guts!

Check this video out… this woman has guts!  To go onto a show like “The View” (all openly supportive of Obama and Abortion) and speak the truth.  Good for her.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBLal23TQv4]

Man up!

Your Dad is Playing Arcade Games

The other day we took our kids to a local indoor entertainment center.  This place has tons of cool stuff for kids… arcade games, go-carts, putt-putt golf, dress up rooms for little kids, a pirate ship with working air-canons, a bowling alley and so on.  When we were in the “largest sandbox in Colorado”, which looks like a cave with stalactites, stalagmites and their version of dinosaur bones, we ran into another family.  The family was made up of a 1-year-old girl, a 4-year-old boy, the mom and the dad.  When I first walked in with my youngest daughter, the dad was sitting on a bench, nose buried in his iPhone.  The mom was actively playing with the kids in the sand.

I cordially said hello to the mom and helped my daughter get situated in the sand.  About a minute after I was in the room, the dad walked up to the mom, whispered something in her ear and walked out.  As he rounded the corner, the wife asked him, “Why do you have to go?”  No response.

Immediately, the young boy tried running after his dad.  He wanted to be with him.  The mom told the boy “Dad will be back in a minute, wait here.”  The boy proceeded to ask his mom to go with his dad six more times over the course of the next ten minutes.  Eventually, the mom called the dad on his cell phone to see where he was, although he didn’t appear to answer.  This time, the boy asked “Mom, where’s Dad?”  She said, “You Dad is playing arcade games.”

I couldn’t believe my ears.  I was astonished!  This dad was NOT manning up!  He left his wife and kids to go play arcade games!?!  The whole point of this type of place (other than for the owners to make lots and lots of money)  is for families to be together.  All his son wanted to do was be with his dad, all the dad wanted to do was be by himself.  It was apparent, that even during the few short seconds that I observed their interaction, the mom and dad were having problems.  It was apparent, that even during the few second that I observed their interaction, the dad wasn’t concerned with being with his family.  I feel sorry for this entire family. 

These kids are going to grow up thinking that their father acts the way a man should.  It’s a sad thing really.

Man up!

Encouraging Men to Get Involved

I recently posted “A Fireside Discussion” and received a comment requesting follow-up information about how to encourage men to get involved in the Church.  Here you go…

Men won’t get involved in stuff if they don’t see a value.  Also, they aren’t likely to attend an event, group or club unless they know someone else, and know them well.  (These are all generalizations; please keep this in mind.)  Another reason men won’t get involved is if they see the stuff as weak, lame or feminine.  Unfortunately, many men see Mass, Church events, groups and retreats through this lens.  From my previous post, I mentioned that the Church is “by women, for women”, and this is a big reason why men aren’t involved.  Men shouldn’t be forced into praying like women pray, it doesn’t work for us.  Men need to pray the way men were created to pray.  There’s a difference, and that difference is important.  (Maybe more on this in a future post?)

So how do you encourage men to participate?  It’s tough to know, exactly.  I think that a great way is to get to the heart of a man, that which God put deep inside each man.  It’s different from anything else in the world, and hard to explain.  See, men want to be rugged and tough.  They want to shoot stuff, and fix stuff, and build stuff.  They want to protect and defend, they want to love and be loved.  They want to feel a purpose and be accomplished.  Unfortunately, so many men don’t know how to do any of that stuff.  If we want men to participate, we have to encourage them, build them up and GIVE THEM A PERSONAL INVITATION.  Personal invitations, from men they trust and respect, might just be the thing to get a man involved at Church.  The event better not suck, or be lame, and it better not be associated with ‘sissiness’.  If it does, he’ll never come back.

I encourage all the faithful, if they know a man who needs to be involved, to be like St Monica.  St Monica, the mother of St Augustine, prayed unceasingly for her son.  Augustine was a wandering-soul.  He lived a life of incredible sin and his mother still prayed.  He became on of the greatest writers of the Church.  That man who you know might just be the next St Augustine.

Man up!

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