Leisure, not work, is at the core of manliness, because leisure helps us see and love, because it stops from activity to “behold” – to hold a thing before us and consider, ponder, and wonder at it. 

A man’s concept of God shapes the most significant aspects of who he is.  At the same time, the idea a man has of God is usually not chosen – he learns it by observing the manner in which other men he respects relate to God.

‘Belief’ is for children, says modern man.  To ‘believe’ is cute, like ‘make believing’, but the mature person has no space for ‘belief’ in the strict sense.  Because the strict sense entails that one has not actually seen the thing that is being believed.

O St. Joseph predestined and chosen by God from among men, you received the glorious honor of being the chaste, guardian of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. Inflamed with divine love you received her as your beloved wife and through her God bestowed upon you the most privileged distinction of being the virginal father of God the Son.

“I will fear, love and honor God above all others, even at the cost of my own life.” The early Church was full of martyrs. These men didn’t simply give up their lives for Christ, they faced their death with courage and — sometimes — even jokes! It is said that as St. Lawrence was being roasted to death on an iron grill, he teasingly told his torturers, “I am done on this side, turn me over.” Christ was so real to the early Christians that they counted death as nothing so long as they could be with Him. You may not have to die for your faith. But you may suffer from “soft martyrdom,” such as losing friends over your beliefs. The word “martyr” means “witness.” By holding true to Christ’s teachings, you are witnessing to a higher order of values.

It would be very strange if a child ever whipped out his checkbook to reimburse his parents for bringing him to life. One could try to put a dollar amount on the medical bills, the nursery expenses, the food consumed, the diapers ruined, the hourly rate of the parent. But this is all an obvious absurdity. 

King James IV of Scotland (r.1488-1512), one of the last Catholic monarchs of Scotland, was considered a true Renaissance man devoted to learning and enlightened rule. In addition to his pursuits in science and the arts, he had a particular interest in language and its origins. He was a polyglot and the last King of […]

I’ve never been good at initiating hugs. I’m pro-hugging, and very much so, it’s just that I’ve always felt awkward with being the first to spread his arms and move in for the hug. “Zubair,” Louis Coker, OFS, would say before spreading his arms and moving in on me, “my brother.” He had a knack […]