“Put off the old man that belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new man, created after the image and likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”—Ephesians 4:22-23
Are we true men of God? Are we men of faith? Of Hope? Of Love? Can we claim to truly be men of the Eucharist? Of Integrity and sincerity? Of Purity and Obedience? Are we true men of God?
My brothers, ours is a frightful task. We are called to be blameless and innocent, “living as children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; called to shine as lights in the darkness of this world.” (Phil 2:15) But how can we accomplish such a mission? We are not supermen endowed with some sort of herculean strength. After working all week tirelessly to make a buck how can we be expected to perform such feats of religious fortitude? Who does God think we are anyway? We are not Jesus. We don’t have the power that He had. Or do we?
“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give you light.” (Eph 5:14)
We have, through Baptism the power; through The Eucharist, the Strength; through Confirmation, the commission to do as Jesus did and live a life glorifying Our Father Who art in Heaven. The calling we received from God to be providers, protectors and leaders in our families and communities is indeed a difficult one, but one that deserves the best of our abilities and all, even the last drop of love we have. From where does this love come from? From what fountain can we draw a never-ending supply of the Grace we will need to accomplish so overwhelming a mission? Can we, mere mortals, do the work of God? “Truly Truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works I do: and greater works then these he will do.” (John 14:12)
These things we are called to do, the lives we are summoned to live and the great works which our Lord beckons us to perform in His name flow from Faith in Christ Jesus Who strengthens us to do all things. (Phil 4:13) Starting now, here in this parish, we the men of the Curé of Ars, must “fight the good fight of faith and take hold of the eternal life to which we were called (1 Tim 6:12).” Accepting this call we begin once again anew, the way that our parents set us on when they brought us to the Priest who Baptized us. Let us as the Men of this parish begin the way anew together. Let us stand as a “Band of Brothers” and bear our share of suffering for the Gospel (2 Tim 1:8). Our God has called us to be brothers in Christ Jesus our Lord and he has given us not a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self-control (2 Tim 1:7). As brothers then, let us pray together, let us fellowship together, let us grow in Faith together. Let us learn what it means to be true men of God. And we can do it…together.
“The Men of the Curé of Ars” meet every 3rd Monday of the month in Msgr. Leonard hall at 7:30pm.
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