Be A Man

    Today we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We take a look at the life of a righteous man who was dedicated to Jewish law and yet a man who was very faithful. We see a man who went against everyone in saying that Mary should be stoned (the common punishment for a woman getting pregnant outside of wed lock). We also hear about two other men, David and Abraham! So what is the point that comes to mind for me today? That we men need to step up our game and be better Men of God. That we need to be able to have the faith and lead our families like these men.

    David, yes he fell pretty hard and sent a man to the front line to die so that he could marry that man's wife, but David also repented and asked for God's forgiveness over and over again. David may have sinned, but due to his faith and trust in God, he was able to build the Temple up and God promised him that if he had trust and faith in God, that his son would be a great King and that the city David had built would flourish! The result, David trusted and the kingdom flourished.

    Then we have Abraham, who trusted in God so much, that after him and his wife finally had a son, he heard God tell him to build an altar and to sacrifice his only son. As Abraham is getting ready to kill his son, God's hand stops Abraham and God sees truly how much faith and trust Abraham has in God. God gave Abraham many sons and his family would be within the twelve tribes! We are told in Romans to "not only adhere to the law but those who follow the faith of Abraham."  We are told to have faith like Abraham had faith!

    Now to St. Joseph. This man was quiet and really a great man. Most likely well received by everyone in the town, but not super wealthy. He was a righteous man, meaning he was solid in Jewish law and teaching. He was never really in any sort of trouble and followed all the laws of the Jewish faith. Today we read that Joseph was visited by an angel in order to help him realize that Mary truly was carrying the Son of God and not of another man. This man was faithful to his wife, even when the law said to kill her, this man stayed a father to a son who was not of his own flesh and blood. We learn so much from the man who said really nothing at all. We learn that faith is huge in who we become as a man.

    A man of faith is willing to push all of his own desires away to love others. He is willing to trust that God will carry his wife and children through life while he is working his butt off to help support them. A man of faith will not be fearful in being a father to his child, for he has learned from the best, The Father in Heaven. A man of faith is that man who has this wonderful gift of grace and actually opens it up on a daily basis. Today people, we see three examples of true manhood. None of this crap that society tells us. We do not have to be a body builder or pro athlete to be a great man, we do not need to sleep with a ton of women to be loved, we do not have to compare our abilities to others to be a loving and fearless man. Today we see three men who were yes, flawed, but who is not, but we see three men who took the time to open up the gift of faith that God gave to them and they became great men. Men of Honor and men of value.


    Gentlemen, we are to be men of honor and not just for an earthly army or an earthly leader. We are to be true warriors for Christ and to be Men of Honor for Christ's Army. We are called to listen to what Jesus is telling us and to stand up against the destruction of abortion, and pornography, and against everything else that the world tells us makes us a real man. We are called to love our women for who they are and not because they are not wearing any clothes. The role of a true man here on earth is to stand up and answer God's call even if that means that you give up a family to become a Priest! Today we see and celebrate a Saint who was a great example of a man laying his life down for his wife and family in St. Joseph. We see a servant of God who had to in many ways teach Jesus the faith! Yes men it is our job to teach the faith to our wives and our children! To want to go to Mass over the football game and to be an example that God is important in our lives.

    So today men, let us better ourselves in being great men of God! Women, I asked that you pray for us men, and that you become a driving support of getting your husband, boyfriend and guy friends back into the faith! You would be surprised how much power a woman has in getting a guy to going back to church. So pray for all men today and ask St. Joseph to help us all become better fathers, brothers, Priests, and husbands!