Men's Rosary

When we find a great place to eat, a nice place to vacation or visit, a beautiful church tucked away somewhere, we tell everyone about it.  We are excited to share our discoveries and look forward to the report back by those we sent to experience these things.  When a baby is born into the family or a new pet arrives, we take endless pictures and share them with everyone….whether they want to see them or not!  When we learn a skill, we look forward to teaching it to others, like our children and other young people.  When is the last time you shared your faith and invited someone to experience it, joyfully and hopefully waiting for the report back from them as to what they experienced?  Who are you mentoring in your faith and walk with Jesus?  I have been asking myself this question lately and I am not very pleased with my answer.  I know I can, and should, do so much more!  I invite you, today, to ask this question of yourself and ponder the answer.  If you are disappointed with it, do not worry, simply dig in and do better.

As baptized men we are called to discipleship just as the first disciples were.  We were instructed how to live and be a good disciple.  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 14:34-35)  Jesus tasks us to look out for one another.  To be there to support each other and to bring others to him.  What greater gift could we give out of love of another than to bring them to meet Jesus and walk with him every day?  As men in the Catholic faith, we have been given the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  We have the tools.  We must get them out and use them.  Do not let the gifts lie dormant and rot.  Do not let what we have been blessed with diminish in us.  We are the “salt of the earth”, stay salty!   “Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is fit for neither the land nor for the dunghill; men throw it away.”  (Luke 14:34-35)

As disciples, we have been called to evangelize.  “For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 13:47)  Let us revisit our role in discipleship and evangelization.  What can we do to be better disciples and how can we bring others to Christ?  Our faith is not about comfortable groups to pray and fellowship with.  It is about being missionary disciples for Jesus.  Jesus sent the disciples out, he did not keep them banded together.  Remember to share your story, bring other to encounter Jesus, mentor them and empower them to do likewise.

A great place to start is with our relationship with Jesus.  In paragraph 3 of Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel) Pope Francis gives this invitation:

“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.[1] The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”. How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost! Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. Christ, who told us to forgive one another “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22) has given us his example: he has forgiven us seventy times seven. Time and time again he bears us on his shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love. With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, he makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire more than his life, which impels us onwards!”

How can we be better men in our faith through our acts of discipleship and evangelization?  Who can we reach today?  What are we doing to connect with and empower our young men?  What example are we setting?  What are our actions perpetuating?  I think we should pray about this and ask Jesus what we should be doing.

“We must all try to be preachers through our deeds.”  (St. Teresa of Avila)