What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”
Mettle Maker #335
DID YOU KNOW…? That you you can get a daily motivational text message from Heritage Arts? Click the awesome (and perhaps a bit cheesy?) scrolling link below to sign up!
Click here to sign up for DAILY MOTIVATIONAL text messages!
...
Click here to sign up for DAILY MOTIVATIONAL text messages! ...
Fitness and Self-Defense Combo — A practical HIIT training session called “Very Bad Karma” from The Calisthenics Codex. Set a timer for somewhere between 10 and 30 minutes, and adjust the intensity as well to suit your fitness level and training goals. Your exercises are Dragon Flags (substitute Sit-ups if needed), Push-ups, Squats, and Jumping Jacks (martial artists substitute kicks, either vs. air or heavy bag). Set your rep count at ¼ the SSM of each exercise, and see how many circuits you can complete in the time allotted. I completed 5 sets of 4 Dragon Flags, 8 Push-ups, 16 Squats, and 100 kicks in 30 minutes. The video on the right demonstrates the same idea with four different exercises. Interested in a free fitness or martial arts distance learning program? Check out our free programs here.
Wildwood — Practice your stalking. If you don’t have to regularly stalk to hunt your food or to evade human predators, you should set aside time for regular stalking practice.. “Hunt” for animal photos by stalking real animals in your back yard or the local park. Or, to focus on just the physical aspects of stalking, practice your stalking step for 100 yards. Go very, very slowly and make every step as silent as possible. If it takes you less than 7 minutes to cover 100 yards, you’re going way too fast. Aim for 8 - 10 minutes and keep your knees bent the entire time. Extra credit: Do the exercise on a flight of stairs. Try to avoid making any sound at all, and avoid touching the handrails or walls as much as possible. Make three total circuits (three times up and three times down) and make sure it takes you at least 4 minutes or you’re going too fast. This will prepare you for hills and uneven terrain. See video on the left. Want more nature appreciation and survival instruction? Click here to sign up for the free Wildwood nature appreciation and survival distance learning program.
Holy Communion is now LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 9AM. Due to YouTube LIVE processing times, the weekly Holy Communion video is often partial until late afternoon or evening. If you attempt to view the video, and running time is less than 40 to 45 minutes, please check back later.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND PRINT THE HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAM
Homily for the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), Dec. 25th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch
Readings: Is 52:7-10, Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6., Heb 1:1-6, John 1:1-5, 9-14
John 1:1-5, 9-14 World English Bible
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome* it.
9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. 12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born† Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Today we celebrate the day that angels appeared to shepherds in the hill country and said,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11 KJV)
And today, like those shepherds – metaphorically at least! – we move toward the spiritual City of David where this child is to be found, lying in a feeding trough for animals. Here we partake of the spiritual food which is Christ the Lord. We are those shepherds. And just like they did after they found Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus as the angel promised, we proclaim the good news far and wide, to friends, our neighbors, and our families.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. (Luke 1: 16-18 KJV)
As shepherds, as witnesses of the transforming power of the miracle of the Incarnation, we have good tidings of great joy to share. And this news is desperately needed. Poll after poll, survey after survey, shows that most people outside our faith have one of two views of Christianity. They see it as either a system of mostly political rules and morals they don’t agree with, or as just another club or activity selling them spiritual fulfillment as a product. It’s up to us to let them know that Christianity is not a political party or a product. We are not competing with their backpacking club. This is not an organic gardening or Yoga class. For people who feel like they do, Christmas may seem like just another drain on their attention, just another excuse for someone to sell them something, just another chore or grab for their pocketbook.
It’s up to us to proclaim through our words and actions that Christmas is a holiday like no other, because Jesus is a figure like no other. He is not merely a wise, mortal teacher like Buddha or Plato who lived a long time ago and who encouraged morality, ethics and good manners. No, no – he is the Son of God, true light from true light, true God from true God. He came, not to show us how to be kind and nice, like a really, really, good kindergarten teacher. He came to show us how to fundamentally remake ourselves in the image of God.
Let everyone know, my fellow shepherds, that Jesus came bringing salvation – liberation from the slavery of selfishness and evil; deliverance from the emptiness and pointlessness of modern life; alleviation of the pain associated with separation from God; and the possibility of never-ending blissful union with him in the life to come.
Let the world know that the Son of God entered his creation so that we might partake of his divine nature. So that, by entering into communion with the Son of God, we might ourselves become sons of God in turn. As St. Athanasius said, “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.”
Merry Christmas to all!
—————————————————————-
*1:5 The word translated “overcome” (κατέλαβεν) can also be translated “comprehended.” It refers to getting a grip on an enemy to defeat him.
†1:14 The phrase “only born” is from the Greek word “μονογενους”, which is sometimes translated “only begotten” or “one and only”.