November 6, 2022

Brothers in Torment: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #328

November 6, 2022

What’s the “weekly mettle maker?”

Training ideas and info supporting Heritage Arts’ programs — Heritage Self-Defense, Wildwood outdoor skills, Heritage Fitness, and Heritage Spirit.

Mettle Maker #328

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Self-defense and fitness combo — POW Run. In case you haven’t heard, our Fifth Annual Mettlecraft Month started last week — go here for details! — and the challenge is to complete Constitutional #86 in under 20 minutes. Give that a shot it if tickles your fancy. Or, if you prefer, complete a POW run, as follows: Put your hands behind your head, interlace your fingers, and keep them there until you complete your run. Beginners try to cover 1/2 mile, intermediate 1 mile, advanced players 2 miles. Trust me, it’s an eye-opener and a real gut-check.

Central to this week’s the video and this week’s homily…

…is the story of Major Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr., one of America’s greatest heroes. Watch either the video above, or the homily below, to get the low-down on Mr. Thompson.

Interested in a free martial arts or fitness distance learning program? Check out our free programs here.

Crushed acorn nuts in the dehydrator after soaking

Wildwood — Gathering your nuts for winter - part 3. As mentioned in previous posts, if it hadn’t been for acorns, the indigenous people of Virginia would’ve probably starved to death. But you can’t eat acorns in their unprocessed state. After soaking the crushed nuts in repeated changes of water for four days, I put them in the dehydrator for 8 hours at 100 F to dry. When they were quite dry, I put them in the blender and ground them to flour. How do you cook with it? Well, keep your eye on the YouTube channel for updates — coming soon there will be a crossover video series. My video will fully explain processing and the Two Riders channel will be making a cooking video. Want to learn more about nature appreciation and survival? Sign up for one of our free distance learning programs.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT THE HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAM

Homily the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Nov. 6th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14, Ps 17:1, 5-6, 8, 15, 2 Thes 2:16-3:5, Lk 20:27-38

At 7:30 AM on the 16th of March, 1968 the soldiers of Company C, first Battalion, 20th Infantry, U.S. Army marched into My Lai, Vietnam and started killing everything that was walking, crawling, running, or growing – women, children, animals, and crops. It was hard work. It was hot. So after a few hours they took a break. While they sat in the shade and had some water and some rations, did anybody desert? Did anybody call HQ and report the tragedy? Nope. When they were rested up, they went back and started killing some more.

When we are tested, brothers and sisters, it might not be as easy as it was for the brothers in today’s Old Testament reading. At least the bad guys were on the other side. What if your brothers aren’t being tortured beside you? What if they are the ones doing the torturing? What if they’re the ones telling you to break God’s rules?

Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson Jr., aged just 25 years, a recon helicopter pilot, was flying air support when he noticed movement in a ditch full of civilian bodies. He assumed they were victims of enemy forces. He landed the ‘copter and began to look for help rescuing survivors. One soldier told him he would only “help them out of their misery.” Another told him he was “just following orders.” He observed one of them shoot an unarmed woman at point blank range. Shocked, confused, and infuriated, Thompson radioed headquarters and reported what he witnessed.

Spotting a group of women, children, and old men in a bunker, Thompson landed his helicopter between them and approaching U.S. soldiers. Risking court martial and the real danger of friendly fire, he told his crew to fire on anyone who attacked the innocents while he was attempting rescue. Fortunately, that did not happen and a dozen innocents were flown to safety. They continued rescuing more civilians, including a 4-year-old girl they found unharmed, buried beneath the dead bodies of her fellow villagers.

Eventually a cease fire was ordered, but not until between 350 and 500 unarmed women, children, and elderly had been butchered. Then came the cover-up. Thompson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, but the citation was filled with lies to hide the atrocities. So he threw it in the trash.

Friends, we don’t do the right thing for the recognition of men – we do what’s right to please God. God is steadfast. Men are fickle. So I’m sure you can predict what happened when the truth came out. Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr., former Boy Scout, devoted Episcopalian, and one of America’s greatest heroes, was called a traitor by the media. Members of congress suggested he be court-martialed. He received death threats. Dead animals were left on his doorstep.

Eventually, after a four-year investigation, over 200 U.S. personnel were charged with crimes and/or court-martialed. Thompson faded from the public eye. After 20 years in the Army, he retired and became a private pilot. In 1998, 30 years to the day after the massacre, he and his courageous crew, Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn, were awarded the U.S. Army's highest award for bravery outside combat – the Soldier's Medal.

After great tribulation, Thompson’s story ended well. But there’s no assurance the same will be true when impossible moral choices are forced on us. We may well perish like the seven brothers. All we can do is try and prepare ourselves to stand our ground and remember that, even if things don’t end well in this world, God is with us, and there is hope of life in the world to come.

Robert Mitchell

October 30, 2022

All Souls' Day: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #327

Robert Mitchell

October 30, 2022

Mettle Maker #327

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Self-defense and fitness combo — Prep for Mettlecraft Month 2022. Our Fifth Annual Mettlecraft Month starts next week — go here for details! Watch the video on the right, learn the exercises, get your equipment together (the only thing you really need is a pair of gloves and some kind of pad for your head — I use a stadium seat cushion), and start thinking about your training regimen. You are probably not going to waltz through this year’s challenge by training once or twice a week. I recommend doing at 25% to 50% of this constitutional an additional 3 days per week for a total of 5 ‘touches’ per week on the exercises. I call this method MBF© or Martial Base Fitness ©. Get there. For more on MBF © and for formal martial arts programming, check out our free programs here.

Wildwood — Gathering your nuts for winter - part 2. As I mentioned last week, if it hadn’t been for acorns, the indigenous people of Virginia would’ve probably starved to death. But you can’t eat acorns in their unprocessed state. Yesterday I started processing a couple of cups of acorn meat (photo set at the right). Watch the YouTube channel for updates — coming soon there will be a crossover video series. My video will explain processing and the Two Riders channel will be making a cooking video. Want to learn more about nature appreciation and survival? Sign up for one of our free distance learning programs.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT THE HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAM

Homily for the Feast of All Souls (Observed) Sunday, Oct. 30th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: Rv 7:2-4, 9-14, 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6, 1 Jn 3:1-3, Mt 5:1-12a

Matthew 5:1-12a World English Bible

1 Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

Pawpaw, my maternal grandfather, was a pilot in WWII. He earned enough medals to fill a cigar box, one of which was a Distinguished Flying Cross for acts of heroism, bravery, and extraordinary gallantry under enemy fire. He was a great American and a fine grandfather.

My fondest memory of him dates back to when I was about twelve. My teenage uncle and I went off to explore Rattlesnake Creek and we didn’t come back for lunch as we had promised. When we finally emerged from the woods, eight hours late and after dark, we found our entire family and two police officers standing in the yard illuminated by flashing red lights, discussing the need to call out the dogs. They converged on us, hopping mad. But Pawpaw stood between of us and the crowd with outstretched arms. He wouldn’t let anyone get near us. "Boys will be boys," he told them, then turned to us and said, “You two, go wash up and get ready for bed." And that was the end of it. No tongue-lashing, no punishment. He knew we knew better and would never do it again.

I also remember him taking me to McDonald's when I was about eight years old. After we ate, he put me on his lap so that I could drive his cherished Buick around the parking lot. I remember him giving me my first big-boy haircut. I remember him teaching me how to properly shine a pair of shoes before church. I recall him making everyone root beer floats after Sunday dinner. And I remember, in the summer of 1980, when he died from a heart attack.

I mourned his loss, but some did not. Because, I regret to say, there was more to this man than warm memories. PawPaw returned from the war with what we now call PTSD. He got little sympathy and support from the community and armed forces and struggled alone. He was given to fits of depression, rage, and violence. I heard from relatives chilling tales of cold malice and wicked vengeance, some from my mother. She had borne the brunt of his most cruel abuses. But I never witnessed any of that firsthand. And so, while I mourned his loss, others did not.

There are those who will tell you that the right place for him is Hell. But I pray for him. I beg our Heavenly Father to find it in his heart to deliver him to heaven for the man he was when he was at his best rather than sending him to hell for his sins. Pray with me, brothers and sisters, for my grandfather and for all departed souls. For our heroes and departed loved ones, yes; but also for the baptized and the unbaptized, for those who died in repentance and those who died before they saw the light. I assure you, my friends, the good and the evil are often one and the same, like opposing sides of the same coin, and they desperately need our prayers.

We have all made mistakes and errors, and no man’s fate is certain. Just as we would appreciate the prayers of our loved ones, let us then obey our Lord Jesus’ instruction to do for others what we would have them do for us (Matt. 7:12). Let us pray together the prayer of Our Lady of Fatima: "Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy.”

Robert Mitchell

October 23, 2022

Humility: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #326

Robert Mitchell

October 23, 2022

Mettlecraft Month 2022 is coming 11/1/22!

"Die before you Die. There is no chance after." (C. S. Lewis)

Soon it will be November and time for our Fifth Annual Mettlecraft Month at Heritage Self-Defense! This year’s challenge is a delightful little constitutional called “#86.” What’s a constitutional, you ask? It’s 7 calisthenics exercises done consecutively. And why is this one called #86? What are the exercises? Get real! This is just a teaser! Watch this bog for more info!

Mettle Maker #326

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Self-defense and fitness combo — 5 minutes of Bear Walks. Set a timer for 5 minutes and Bear Walk as far as you can. You should be able to get about 200 yards in that period of time. This kind of functional strength and fitness will serve you well (especially when wrestling). I always tell people, if you don’t know what to do for fitness, do Push-ups, Squats, or Bear Walks. Get there.

Want more fitness and more martial arts programming? Check out our free programs here.

Wildwood — Gathering your nuts for winter. If it hadn’t been for acorns, the indigenous people of Virginia would’ve probably starved to death. According to the early writers, and confirmed by Helen Rountree in her book The Powhatan Indians of Virginia: Their Traditional Culture, by the time settlers came to Virginia in 1607, the state was so overhunted that there wasn’t a deer east of the fall line. “The Powhatans,” she writes on p.87, “solved the problem of hunted-out territory from year-to-year by organizing large-scale hunts near the fall line in winter, after the crops were in and the thanksgiving festivities had concluded.” To eat acorns, the tannins must be removed by boiling or leaching. Some tribes boiled de-shelled acorns and skimmed off the oil, which they would use much the way we use butter today, or as an emollient. The nut meats would be dried, ground into meal, and eaten like grits. Some tribes put the nutmeats into baskets, which they submerged in streams to leach out the tannins. We’ll be putting together a video of acorn processing and cooking — watch the YouTube channel for updates! Want to learn more about nature appreciation and survival? Sign up for one of our free distance learning programs.

Homily for the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Oct. 9th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: Sir 35:12-14, 16-18, Ps 34:2-3, 17-18, 19, 23, 2 Tm 4:6-8, 16-18, Lk 18:9-14

Luke 18:9-14 World English Bible

9 He also spoke this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men: extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." These immortal words of prayer from today’s Gospel reading, echo up and down the centuries. In the Orthodox tradition, this is often called the “Jesus Prayer,” it is believed to be the unceasing prayer encouraged by St. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (“Pray without ceasing”). It central to the ascetic Orthodox practice of both monks and lay people known as hesychasm or “stillness.”

It is also esteemed in the Roman Catholic Church. According to Catechism 2667.

“This simple invocation of faith developed in the tradition of prayer under many forms in East and West. the most usual formulation, transmitted by the spiritual writers of the Sinai, Syria, and Mt. Athos, is the invocation, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners." It combines the Christological hymn of Philippians 2:6-11 with the cry of the publican and the blind men begging for light.18 By it the heart is opened to human wretchedness and the Savior's mercy.”

The Jesus Prayer also shows up in the Anglican Rosary, and is sometimes called “The Sinner’s Prayer” by Evangelical Christians.

Why is it that these words have had such far-reaching, and long-lasting impact? What is it about this story – about the contrast between the Pharisee and the tax collector – that’s so important? Perhaps it is because self-righteousness is so toxic and because humility, its opposite, is so powerful. Self-righteousness is toxic to our souls. When we begin to think that we’ve arrived, that we have no more work to do, our growth stops. When we begin to think that we are better than our neighbors, this is the slippery slope that begins with condescension and eventually ends in spite and hatred – the opposite of loving one’s neighbor.

Self-righteousness is also poisonous to the spreading of our faith to the spiritually starved who are in want. The foremost complaint I hear about Christians in the course of my evangelization work is that Christians are self-righteous jerks. They say that we Christians think we have all the answers. They say that we think we are saved and everyone else is damned, and nobody wants to spend time holier-than-thou braggarts. It’s one thing to harm our own growth and development, but poisoning the well of evangelization compounds the sin.

Humility – the opposite of self-righteousness – has the opposite effect. Humility is the fuel of the way of Christ that accelerates our own development and improves our evangelization efforts. This is why, when we say the Confiteor and confess our sins, that we rap our breasts with our knuckles as the tax collector beats his breast and beg for mercy. This confession and prayer for mercy is merely the beginning.

Robert Mitchell

October 17, 2022

5th Annual Mettlecraft Month 2022

Robert Mitchell

October 17, 2022

Final Update! 12/4/22

The watch shows Morgan’s time, not mine — she crushed it!

Well it’s official — this old man is finally over the hill. I beat the challenge (my final time on Tues of last week was 18:47), but I was next-to-last on the list of times. It’s not a competition — true enough — but I had hoped to keep up with the kids for a few more years. Anyway, the good news is, my youngest daughter Morgan crushed the challenge with a time of 15:21! The final times were Arman (13:11), James (13:28), Morgan (15:21), Mitch (18:47), and Jack (21:28). If Jack hadn’t gotten sick, he certainly would’ve put up a top time, I’m sure of it. Oh well — there’s always next year Jack!

UPDATE! 11/27/22

Last week I put up my best time yet (18:48) and Heritage Arts patron James put up a superlative time of 13:28 — just 17 seconds behind Arman! Can you believe these guys? What are they made out of anyway? A big round of applause for these guys, how about it!?!

UPDATE! 11/13/22

Last Thursday the club here in Richmond, VA put up a time of 21:28, while distance learning graduate Arman put up a mind-boggling time of 13:11. Looks like we all have some training to do if we’re going to catch Arman! Who’s going to get it done? Will it be you?

UPDATE! 10/25/22

This year’s challenge is to finish Constitutional #86 in 20- minutes or less with good form. Exercises have been announced!

Wrestler’s Bridge (25)
Bear Walks (100 yards)
10-Count Bodybuilders (25)
Shots (25)
Clocks (25)
Get-ups (25)
Duck-unders (25)

See video below (goes live at midnight 10/24)

10/17/22

"Die before you Die. There is no chance after." (C. S. Lewis)

Soon it will be November and time for our Fifth Annual Mettlecraft Month at Heritage Self-Defense! Want to play along with us? You can participate at home or at your club. Share your times in the comments here, email them to me at mitch@heritageartsinc.com or share them via social media!

This year’s challenge is a delightful little constitutional called “#86.” What’s a constitutional, you ask? It’s 7 calisthenics exercises done consecutively. And why is this one called #86? Well, the number 86 has several relevant meanings.

“86” is slang for something that’s been given up on or trashed, as in, “The mission has been 86’d.” You’ll want to give up about 2/3 of the way through this one and, by the end, you should be feeling pretty much trashed.
Once a upon a time, “86!” was shop code for “Shut up everybody, the boss is coming!” or “Stop cussin’, there’s a lady on the floor!” If this constitutional doesn’t make you shut your pie hole, we’ll eat your hat, and our hat too, for dessert.

What are the exercises? Please! Did you think we were going to give them to you early so that you can ease your way in? Fuhgettaboutit!

Check back regularly for updates. In the meantime, here are some links to previous Mettlecraft Months so you can reminisce and/or get a feel for what the future holds…

4th Annual Mettlecraft Month 2021

3rd Annual Mettlecraft Month 2020

2nd Annual Mettlecraft Month 2019

1st Annual Mettlecraft Month 2018

What is mettlecraft? Mettlecraft is the cultivation of fighting aspect, physical endurance, unflagging determination, and resolute strength of body, mind and spirit. In short, it is the relentless pursuit of indomitability, the fourth virtue of Heritage Self-Defense. It’s a mash-up of two words used in the old-time way:

\Met"tle\, n. [E. metal, used in a tropical sense in allusion to the temper of the metal of a sword blade. See {Metal}.] Substance or quality of temperament; spirit, esp. as regards honor, courage, fortitude, ardor, etc.

\Craft\ (kr[.a]ft), n. [AS. cr[ae]ft strength, skill, art, cunning; akin to OS., G., Sw., & Dan. kraft strength, D. kracht, Icel. kraptr; perh. originally, a drawing together, stretching, from the root of E. cramp.] 1. Strength; might; secret power. [Obs.]

Robert Mitchell

October 16, 2022

Faith in Justice: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #325

Robert Mitchell

October 16, 2022

Mettlecraft Month 2022 is coming 11/1/22!

"Die before you Die. There is no chance after." (C. S. Lewis)

Soon it will be November and time for our Fifth Annual Mettlecraft Month at Heritage Self-Defense! This year’s challenge is a delightful little constitutional called “#86.” What’s a constitutional, you ask? It’s 7 calisthenics exercises done consecutively. And why is this one called #86? What are the exercises? Get real! This is just a teaser! Watch this space for a more formal announcement tomorrow.

Mettle Maker #325

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Self-defense — The best ammo is a smooth combo. Pick a combo, one that’s effective and not too complex (2 - 5 strikes, including at least 1 kick). Stand up a heavy bag and unleash 100 smooth, full-power iterations of that combo. One of the keys to power is removal of waste, which reduces the distance your limb has to cover, which increases speed; and speed is related to power (Power = Work/Time). Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. In other words, do lots of combos, get smooth in your body mechanics so that your speed goes up, and at last your power will climb. For extra credit, complete the power and balance drill outlined in the video below. Want more self-defense training tips? How about a full-blown curriculum? Come out the club here in Richmond VA or sign up for our free distance learning program here.

Wildwood and Fitness combo — Stalking and skulking. For 100 yards, stalk imaginary prey or skulk to escape imaginary predators. In a real life situation, you might need to move very slowly and silently for 15 minutes or more, and it isn’t easy. You will not believe how strenuous it is, trust me. Watch the video on the right for more info. Want more fitness drills? Want to learn more about nature appreciation and survival? Sign up for one of our free distance learning programs.

Want to see a dog ride a onewheel? Watch the homily video below!

Homily for the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Oct. 16th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: Ex 17:8-13, Ps 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 2 Tm 3:14-4:2, Luke 18:1-8

Luke 18:1-8 World English Bible

1 He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray and not give up, 2 saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God and didn’t respect man. 3 A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’ 4 He wouldn’t for a while; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’ ”

6 The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. 7 Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Well, you have to love the Gospel of Luke, because Luke doesn’t shy away from including all of the most difficult parables. And today we have the parable of the persistent widow, which can be a little troublesome, because our natural inclination is to compare the unrighteous judge to God. After all, the widow is begging the judge for justice, and pray literally means “ask” or “beg,” so it seems natural. But there is no parallel between the judge and God in this parable, that’s for sure!

Jesus tells you at the very beginning what this parable is about. We read, “He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray and not give up.” So, we know it’s about being persistent in our prayer. But it’s also about faith. Now remember, faith isn’t blind belief. Faith us trusting in the evidence – trusting in God based on what we’ve seen him do in our own lives. Trust in what we see Christianity achieving in the world, trust in what we witness taking place in the lives of others who are saved from negative behaviors, addiction, and misery of all kinds, and so on. And of course, in the overwhelming evidence for the reality of the Resurrection.*

Now, make no mistake, the widow has no faith in the judge. She is under no illusion as to the judge’s character. She knows quite well that he neither fears God nor cares about others. But what she does have is faith in is Justice itself. Her prayer is persistent because she knows that God is Justice. We have faith because we know that God is all-in-all, the Alpha and the Omega (Rev 22:12), who “will come to judge the quick and the dead,” as we recite in the Apostle’s Creed.

And because we have faith in God’s justice, we know that it can operate even through an unjust judge. Even through unjust people, groups, governments, and so on. When justice prevails, it always prevails despite those who perpetrated the injustices. It always overcomes. But, since God is not a vending machine, it might not happen on our timeline. My dad used to say, “Everything always works out for the best.” And I would say, “No it doesn’t! Things turn out horribly all the time!” He replied, “Maybe things don’t turn out for the best on your timeline. But on God’s timeline, everything always turns out for the best.”

My father had faith in buckets. And so did the widow. She had faith that justice would prevail. Maybe not on her timeline, but eventually, in time. And she’s content to pray and beg for justice every day of her life, and even beyond, if need be.

Would that that we all had faith like the persistent widow.

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* Skeptical about the reality of the Resurrection? Watch this gripping lecture by atheist-turned believer, and famous cold case detective, J. Warner Wallace, author of the best-selling book Cold Case Christianity. Det. Wallace has been featured in numerous documentaries, films and television shows, including six episodes of NBC’s Dateline. This lecture is called, “J. Warner Wallace: Did Jesus Really Die and Come Back to Life?”

Robert Mitchell

October 9, 2022

Field Day, Swimming, Cards, and a Pop Quiz: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #324

Robert Mitchell

October 9, 2022

Yesterday we tabled at Glen Allen Day 2022 and promoted Heritage Arts! Sweet photo set above. The event was a huge success. We gave away tons of flyers promoting the self-defense club, and some freebies like the one on the left entitled, “How to Get Fit with a Deck of Cards.” Not excactly in the vein of ‘old-school training” but if it helps you overcome boredom — which is a real killer! — get froggy, print it out, tack it to your wall, and hop to it.

We took donations in exchange for pricier stuff like books and tshirts (you can order t-shirts by clicking HERE.) and made our “let’s partner!” sales pitch to many other organizations.

The most popular things on our table were the free rosaries. We gave away two dozen rosaries with instructions, many of them to young people and children, and several adults told me that they were inspired to reconnect with our Holy Mother.

Mettle Maker #324

Self-defense — You need more than one option for getting out of a Double Collar Tie or Thai Plum. Obviously you can cram your way out of a weak/newbie tie-up. And against a stronger tie, you can also strike your way out if you act fast! But you can also swim your way out. Watch the video on the left for two swimming options. Want more self-defense training tips? How about an full-blown curriculum? Come out the club here in Richmond VA or sign up for our free distance learning program here.

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Wildwood and Fitness combo — Glove Pop Quiz. Gloves dramatically change the dynamics of chores and activities. And if you can’t do it with gloves on, you can’t do it. What if it's 15 degrees outside and you have to self-rescue? What if you happen to have gloves on when disaster strikes, and there’s no time to remove them before you act? Put your gloves on. Then (a) lash two things together with a proper trucker’s hitch, (b) climb and descend a rope (or hang for 30 seconds if you can’t climb), (c) get out your pocket knife, open it, and put it back all with one hand, and (d) do one Pull-up (or Chin-ups or dead hang for 1 minute depending on your fitness level).

Take 2 points for each one you complete successfully, 1 point for each one you attempt, and zero points if you just sit on the sofa.

8 points = A
7 = A-
6 = B
5 = B-
4 = C
3 or less = FAIL (If you didn’t get at least 4 points, that means there was something you didn’t even attempt, and if you don’t try, you always fail.)

Want more fitness drills? Want to learn more about nature appreciation and survival? Sign up for one of our free distance learning programs.

Homily for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Oct. 9th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: 2 Kgs 5:14-17, Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 2 Tm 2:8-13, Lk 17:11-19

2 Kings 5:14-17 World English Bible

14 Then went he down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

16 But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.”

He urged him to take it; but he refused. 17 Naaman said, “If not, then, please let two mules’ load of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will from now on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to Yahweh.

Wow, what a story! Naaman, a great general of the Syrian army has leprosy. More than likely this is psoriasis or eczema not leprosy – there’s little evidence for leprosy being prevalent in that area at that time. And a little slave girl from Israel working in the court of the king suggests he might be healed by Elisha. This little girl embodies the reality that very small but very potent ideas are able to infiltrate the halls of political power. They seem innocent and inconsequential, but they have incredible implications. She suggests this tiny idea called faith. It seems so innocent, doesn’t it? Just try. Ask the prophet, do what he says, and see what happens.

So the king tells Naaman to take some gifts to Elisha and give it a shot. Can’t hurt, right? So Naaman does, and Elisha tells him to do a simple thing – dip yourself seven times in the Jordan river. Ridiculous. So simple! And Naaman gets steaming mad. He says the water in the Jordan is just like any other river! He says he could’ve stayed home and taken a dunk, this is baloney!

We Christians see this all the time, up and down the centuries, from people question the reality of our faith. They can’t bring themselves to hear the message of a little child who says, “have a little faith.” To modern people, scientists, and academics, it seems too simple, too basic, too infantile to possibly work. They say Christian myths are no different than the Greek myths, the Norse myths, the Hindu, Mayan, African, or the Aboriginal myths. Theys say that you can’t be healed by dipping yourself in a river.

Naaman’s servants set him straight. They suggest that if Elisha’s instructions had been costly and extravagant he would’ve played along. So if it’s easy, why not try it? And I’m saying the same thing they are saying, the same thing as the little girl.

This simple idea called “faith,” this tiny, unassuming Judeo-Christian innovation, transforms everything. It heals the spirit, it heals bodies, relationships, and even nations. An alcoholic named Bill Wilson’s message of faith spawned Alcoholics Anonymous, the most effective anti-addiction treatment plan ever devised, and its faith-based methods have healed millions of addicts. When the people of Poland listened to the messages of Pope John Paul II and to those of Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko who was martyred for peace in the 1980s, the sickness of communism was healed in that country and across Eastern Europe. When Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached to America and we listened, the wounds of segregation, fear, and hatred began to heal. Twelve consecutive U.S. Presidents met privately to listen to the words of pastor Billy Graham, and we have no idea how many of them headed his words and bathed in the Jordan!

And yet, despite this evidence and much, much more, many people refuse to dip themselves in the river Jordan, to be baptized and transformed by faith – not blind belief uninformed by evidence – but by faith born of trust.

The messages of Naaman’s remarkable story are many and manifold. Fellow Christians, let us not make the mistake that Naaman made. After he his conversion, he thought that the secret of his healing was in the place, the soil, the nation, the conditions, and he tried to carry it with him wherever he went. Let’s not cling to our pre-conversion thinking and carry with us two mule-loads of baggage.

And to those who are not Christians who can hear my voice: listen to the advice of a little girl and heed two thousand years of evidence. Trust in the Lord. Dip yourself in the Jordan River. Be baptized and be healed.

Robert Mitchell

October 2, 2022

Resilience: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #323

Robert Mitchell

October 2, 2022

Mettle Maker #323

Self-Defense and Fitness Combo: Do you have the basic fitness and grit to self-rescue and/or survive under adverse conditions? Take Mark Hatmaker’s Self-Resilient Readiness Tests. Give yourself 2 points for success, 1 point for actually attempting the test, and 0 points for not even trying.

Swim at least one half mile
Run at top speed for 200 yards
Jump over obstacles higher than the waist
Complete at least 15 Chin-ups
Complete 25 Dips
Drag a 100 sandbag 50 yards in under 30 seconds
Buddy-carry another human being at least 25 yards (Extra credit: carry a 45 lb. weight 1 mile in 12 minutes — no vests or rucksacks)
Hold your breath for 1 minute with only a 5-second prep
Swim underwater for 25 yards, or walk slowly for 50 yards, after only a 5-second prep.
Do you drink or take drugs that impair your ability to self-rescue? If no, 1 point.
Stand in the full spray of cold water for 60 seconds
Go without food for 24 hours.
For three consecutive nights, arise in the middle of your normal sleep schedule and stand stock still for 15 minutes (no books, no phones, no amusements)
Tape a pebble to the sole of your foot and go about for the entire day. If anyone notices your discomfort, say you have a rock in your shoe. If they ask why, reply only that you like it there. No other explanation is permissable.
Extra Credit pain test courtesy of Coach Mitch: Submerge your arm from hand to elbow in a mix of ice and water for 3 minutes.

Starved for more self-defense or fitness training? Sign up for one of our programs by clicking here.

Wildwood: The magic mulberry tree. Can you identify the red and/or white mulberry tree and list its habitat and practical uses? Red and white mulberry are rather common in North America. They usually grow in soil that is regularly moist, but not boggy, and prefer to be in places where they get a mix of shade and sun (red mulberry can grow deeper in the woods, white mulberry can handle full sun). Red mulberry has fine hairs on the underside of the leaves, white mulberry less so. Both grow to a height of about 30’ and have a rounded shape. The berries come straight from the stem, usually in May, and are white when unripe, either red or dark purple when ready to eat. The flavor is mild. The leaves are finely serrated on the edge, and like a sassafras, come in three different shapes (3-lobed, mitten, and eye). The wood is extremely resilient, great for bows, walking sticks, fighting canes, and tool handles. When the uncured, the bark strips easily and can be used for baskets, but once cured it’s locked on. Want more outdoor skills training? Sign up for the free Wildwood program.

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Homily for the 27th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Oct. 2nd, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4, Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9, 2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14, Lk 17:5-10

Luke 17: 5-10 World English Bible

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”

6 The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree†, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 But who is there among you, having a servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say when he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down at the table’? 8 Wouldn’t he rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded? I think not. 10 Even so you also, when you have done all the things that are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants. We have done our duty.’ ”

Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Get eight hours sleep. Maintain a body mass index under 25. Limit yourself to two hours of screen time per day for mental health. Don’t smoke. Get a minimum of twenty minutes of aerobic exercise twice per week for cardiovascular health. Brush and floss twice per day. How many of us heed all of that advice.? What’s the problem? Do we not trust the scientific evidence?

Evidence shows that people who go to church live longer lives than those who don’t. People who pray suffer from fewer mental health issues than those who don’t. Churches promote diversity and reduce political polarization by bringing together people of vastly different races, ages, and political affiliations. Churchgoers donate more to charity, are more engaged in community activities, and volunteer more. And yet every day in the U.S. about five churches shut their doors forever. What’s the problem? Do we not trust the evidence? ‡

Brothers and sisters, in the scene just prior to today’s reading, Jesus tells his apostles, “If your brother sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times returns, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” And the apostles say, “Increase our faith.” The apostles are right there, observing Jesus’ works, seeing the miracles, listening to his interpretations of scripture, and all of that. They know he’s who he says he is. And yet they say, “Increase our faith.” What’s their problem? Don’t they trust the evidence?

Jesus says, “If you had faith like a mustard seed…” If you had faith like a mustard seed, a very tiny seed that grows into an enormous plant, “you would tell this mulberry tree to be uprooted and be planted in the sea and it would obey you.” In other words, if our faith was capable of ever-increasing strength, we could do the impossible. We could forgive our repentant brother seven times seven times. We’d be able to love our neighbor as ourselves. Maybe we could even love our enemies.

Through the parable of the servant coming in from the field, Jesus warns us that following the commandments is the bare minimum. We shouldn’t pat ourselves on the back because we didn’t raise up any idols, swear, murder, steal, or commit adultery today. Let’s not sit down at the banquet and celebrate the fact that we did the bare minimum. We should have faith that, like a mustard seed, grows ever larger and ever stronger. As we see the evidence mounting – as we witness the transforming power of baptism, feel the demons being cast out of our own hearts, see the power of our churches to transform communities, and all of that – our faith shouldn’t just hold its own. It should grow and grow until it becomes capable of the impossible. Impossible forgiveness. Impossible charity. Impossible love.

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† More likely a mulberry tree. According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, this is the sik´a - mı̄n , ( συκάμινος , sukáminos) the black mulberry tree (Morus nigra; Natural Order, Urlicaceae ), known in Arabic as tût shrâmı̂ , "the Damascus mulberry," a fine tree which grows to the height of 30 ft. It produces the dark blood-red mulberry juice referred to in 1 Macc 6:34 (μόρον , móron ), "the blood of ... mulberries," which was shown to the elephants of the Syrians. The white mulberry, M. alba , has white and less juicy fruit, and it is cultivated largely for the sake of its leaves with which the silkworms of the Lebanon are fed. The tree in Luke 19:3 is the Ficus sycomorus, called the sycamore fig or the fig-mulberry because its leaves resemble the mulberry.

‡ For more detail watch my video “Ten Reasons Even Non-Believers Should Go to Church” or read Robert D. Putnam’s important study, “What's So Darned Special about Church Friends?” (2012) Altruism, Morality & Social Solidarity Forum, American Sociological Association 3(2): 1,19-21

Robert Mitchell

September 26, 2022

Antlions, Airguns, and Aetiology: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #322

Robert Mitchell

September 26, 2022

Mettle Maker #322

Self-defense — BB guns for firearm training? If you’re like me and you simply don’t have the time and/or the money to make regular firearm training practical (we can’t all live on a 40-acre farm!), you can always train with BB guns, or even airsoft guns, right in your backyard. Is it the same? Heck no! But you can still practice firearm safety, aiming, posture, and all of that. And you can shoot as often as you like for far less expense. If you want to, you can even get BB or airsoft guns that look, feel, and even operate, very much like like their very real cousins. Here’s a fascinating article on this topic with more info. Want more self-defense training tips? Come out the club here in Richmond VA or sign up for our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness — Can you do a Handstand Push-up? I got my first one back in 2017. at age 56 Getting there took about 18 months. If I had observed Old School Training directions I’m convinced I would’ve gotten there in half that time.

Why am I talking about them now? Well, I started taking them for granted, and somewhere along the line I stopped being able to do a full one. So I started doing 6” partials, and I’m working my way back.

Handstand Push-up Progression

Start by reading the Old School Training directions here. Of particular importance are (a) stopping on the first rep where your form begins to degrade, or the rep before failure, whichever comes first, and (b) training 5 days/week.
Perform 3 sets of traditional Push-ups. Stick with these until you can do 3 x 8 with ease — do not ignore the Old School Training directions!
When you can easily get 3 x 8 of regular Push-ups, begin doing Decline Push-ups.
Put a 2” block under your feet. When you easily do 3 x 8 of Decline Push-ups with the 2” block, add 2”. Use weight benches, ply boxes, etc. to achieve incremental heights, being careful to insure that boxes are stable.
Continue this progression until the angle is unworkable for your lower back (likely to be about 36”).
Do a simple Handstand against a wall. Don’t push at all. Just hold it until close to failure.
When you can 3 x 15 secs with ease, begin doing partial Handstand Push-ups.
Place a foam Yoga block or blocks on the floor such that you can do partial Handstand Push-ups to the block and back up. Start with about an 8” block, depending on your size.
When you can get 3 x 5 with ease, reduce the height of the block by an inch or two.
Continue this progression until getting your first Handstand Push-up.

Wildwood — What makes peculiar conical pits in sandy soil? Take a look at the picture on the right, a shot of the ground next to my tool shed. These are antlion traps. Antlions dig these ingenious pits, burrow and hide in the sandy soil at the bottom. and wait for ants and other insects to get stuck. Then they leap out and attack, injecting their prey with digestive enzymes. Once the internal organs dissolve, the antlion sucks out the juice and then flicks the empty carcass out of the pit. There have been so many ants on my property this year that, joking with my wife, I said we are in the real life version of the film Them! or maybe Empire of the Ants. Well, when you have that many ants, predators are going to show up and capitalize. I wasn’t patient enough to sit and wait for video, but I was able to find one on YouTube courtesy of the Smithsonian Channel (pay no attention to the hyperbolic title, it’s a pretty cool video). To read more about these fascinating insects, read this article on Wikipedia. And to learn more about nature appreciation and survival, sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

Homily for the 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sept. 25th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: Am 6:1a, 4-7, Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10, 1 Tm 6:11-16, Lk 16:19-31

Luke 16: 19-31 World English Bible

19 “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades,§ he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 24 He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’

25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’

27 “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’

29 “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’

30 “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’ ”

In today’s gospel reading, a rich man walks right past the poor, sick man Lazarus and offers no help. Both die. In the afterlife, Lazarus is raised into the life to come, while the rich man goes to the place of torment. Between them lies an inseparable gulf. What is this gulf? Certainly, it represents the gulf between those who do and do not trust in Jesus Christ! But this is a parable, and parables have infinite interpretations. And I’d like to suggest that the inseparable gulf in this parable represents the gulf of materialism, and that we can apply its lesson to the modern world.

The rich man’s happy life is shattered by death. And there is a metaphorical death, that sometimes leads actual death, striking down wealthy, well-fed, and otherwise healthy people today – meaninglessness. Despite the fact that there are fewer people living in poverty today than there have ever been in human history, there is an ongoing epidemic of meaninglessness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2018 that suicide is up in the United states by 25% since 1999. A recent study in the UK found that 80% of those surveyed said their lives were meaningless. To quote behavioral scientist Clay Routledge, “We are a species that strives not just for survival, but also for significance. We want lives that matter. It is when people are not able to maintain meaning that they are most psychologically vulnerable. Empirical studies bear this out. A felt lack of meaning in one’s life has been linked to alcohol and drug abuse, depression, anxiety and — yes —suicide. And when people experience loss, stress or trauma, it is those who believe that their lives have a purpose who are best able to cope with and recover from distress.”

In the parable, the rich man begs for relief from his torment. But what does he request? Does he ask for understanding? Does he repent and beg for a do-over? Does he ask what the difference is between him and Lazarus? No, he asks for Lazarus to bring a sip of water down to him. But Lazarus cannot come. There is no material thing, like a sip of water, that Lazarus can give to him that’s going to work, because materialism isn’t the answer. Modern culture is looking for meaning in a million sips of entertainment, fashion, money, sex, and science. But there is no meaning in these things.

Starting to understand, the rich man begs that Lazarus go to his family so that they’ll change their ways. But he’s still holding on to his materialist worldview. He still believes in evidence, and he thinks that if his family sees Lazarus, they’ll change direction. But Abraham says no, they won’t. If they see a man risen from the dead, they still won’t believe. They won’t trust their eyes.

This is true today. Dyed-in-the-wool materialists do not believe there is any meaning in miracles. Miracles are happening all around us every day, right now, and still people experiencing the affects of meaninglessness are searching for it in drugs, alcohol, medication, money, sex, and possessions. What they don’t realize is that, just like Lazarus in the parable, the meaning they seek can be found even when they have no possessions and no money. Even when they are at their absolute lowest, purpose and meaning are always available through faith in Jesus Christ, through whom they may be given to experience and share the true wealth of love, compassion, empathy, charity, humility, and devotion.

Robert Mitchell

September 18, 2022

Obstacles and Desires: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #321

Robert Mitchell

September 18, 2022

Mettle Maker #321

Self-defense: Can you defend yourself with your chosen weapon or weapons while standing and while on the ground, as well as while moving in the environment? Do some weapon command and mastery work! If you’re looking to build your base fitness and weapon mastery, choose 4 exercises and do 4 sets of 4 reps, taking your time and focusing on form. Sprints, Prisoner Get-ups, Crunch ‘n’ Punch, and Get-ups are a nice choice. if you’re looking to push yourself, choose 7 exercises and do a weapon constitutional (example on the left). Want more training tips? Come out the club here in Richmond VA or sign up for our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: What is “fitness?” On the right is an 8-minute, practical fitness drill for self-defense and survival. Maybe your idea of fitness is losing 100 pounds, bench pressing your body weight, running your first 10K, or looking good with your shirt off. Regardless of your definition, if you’re looking for a free coach — somebody to help you design a fitness program and to help keep you motivated and on track — Sign up for our free distance learning program.

Wildwood. Sure, you can learn survival facts from books, like first aid info, helpful tricks, and so on. But you can’t learn from a book how to be comfortable in the woods, adaptable when things go wrong, and calm under pressure. You have to face and overcome incremental challenges in order to get ready for a big one. Start small. Spend more time outside so that things that seem big when at first (mosquitoes, ticks, heat, cold) soon become minor. In the process, little things will come up that you have to overcome — like the time my son and I got pinned down by torrential rain for four consecutive days. As you get stronger, you’ll take on and overcome even bigger challenges, like being gripped by panic when alone in a dark swamp far outside cell phone range. Want to start your journey in outdoor skills? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

Homily for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sept. 18th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: Am 8:4-7, Ps 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8, 1 Tm 2:1-8, Lk 16:1-13

Luke 16: 1-13 World English Bible Catholic Edition

1 He also said to his disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 He called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’

3 “The manager said within himself, ‘What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.’ 5 Calling each one of his lord’s debtors to him, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred batos* of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred cors† of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

8 “His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light. 9 I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents. 10 He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”‡

Today’s readings, at first glance brothers and sisters, are very confusing. They seem to be coming at us from many different angles and proclaiming divergent messages, some of which seem to be at odds with Jesus’ other teachings.

In the Amos reading, the prophet speaks out against rich merchants who can’t wait to get religious obligations out of the way so that they can get back to profiteering. He rather angrily rails against rip-off artists who cheat the poor and put profits over people. But then, in the 1 Timothy reading, we are told to pray for everyone without anger or argument, because God wills everyone to be saved. Is anger justified or unjustified? Let’s be clear, these are not at odds with each other. The goal of Amos is to forcefully confront the rich in the hopes that they will repent, change their ways, and be saved. And that is the hope for which the author of Timothy would have us pray.

With that apparent conflict resolved, let’s see what can do about the ones apparent in Luke 16. Here Jesus tells us a story about money management. Now, why would he do this when, in many other places, he tells us to sell everything we have, give it to the poor, and follow him? Because his messages of total poverty are meant for his apostles, his inner circle. But this parable is being delivered to his disciples – everyday folks who want to follow his teachings.

And so he tells them the story of a steward (what today we’d call a business manager who works for an owner) who is accused of mismanagement, or perhaps embezzlement, probably the same behaviors Amos condemned in our first reading. Knowing he’s about to be found out and fired, the dishonest steward starts making things right – revaluing purchases and writing down the debts he has inflated – in the hopes that he can make a few friends who’ll support him when he’s unemployed. His master praises him for trying to make good, even if it is only for his own benefit. Then, incredibly, Jesus tells us to be like the dishonest steward. He tells us Christians to be at least as wise with our money as the children of this world, to use it to make friends and so on.

If the master in this parable represents our Heavenly Father, and I think he does, the message here is that we cannot serve both God and our own needs. We must align our interests, even our finances, with the will of God as best we can. Jesus knows that worldly riches – he calls them “unrighteous mammon” – by their very nature, put us on the path to greed and avarice. But dealing with money is part of being in the world. And if we can’t be trusted with worldly riches, which so often lead to dishonesty, how can we hope to be trusted with the true riches of the kingdom? Jesus leaves open the question of whether or not the master ultimately fires or retains the steward, a fascinating detail, the implication being that our fate with regard to God’s judgement also remains an open question.

So let us be careful and unconflicted in the ordering of our desires, even our desire for prosperity, in accordance with God’s will.

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* 16:6 100 batos is about 395 liters or 104 U. S. gallons.

† 16:7 100 cors = about 2,110 liters or 600 bushels.

‡ 16:13 “Mammon” refers to riches or a false god of wealth.

Robert Mitchell

September 11, 2022

Old School: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #320

Robert Mitchell

September 11, 2022

What’s the “weekly mettle maker?”

The weekly mettle maker is a weekly blog post that contains training ideas, information, and fun facts related to Heritage Arts’ programs — Heritage Self-Defense, Heritage Wildwood nature appreciation and survival training, Heritage Fitness, and (because we save the best for last), we wrap it all up with Heritage Spirit — Holy Communion service via YouTube. The mettle maker has been around for over 5 years, but we didn’t start numbering them until May of 2018!

Mettle Maker #320

Switching it up this week — instead of separate bits for each program, one long post about old school training physical training methods. Hope you like it.

The Set-up

I couple of months back I posted about my stone lifting regimen. It worked great. I started getting stronger quickly. The problem was that it soaked up all my gravy. I had very little energy left for martial arts training, writing, spiritual training, home repairs, etc. So I started looking more seriously at old-school training philosophies and methods.
Below you will find brief recaps of my synthesis program, plus some old school training bullet-points from the likes of Mark Hatmaker and Dan John. Notice the commonalities between all our notes: only 1 exercise per body part, perfect form is required, no training to failure, daily training (or close to it), and no pain allowed. I would sum up the old-school method as, “All gain, no pain.”
Most modern workout programs I see are based on the training methods of (a) steroid-using weightlifters and (b) pro-athletes with full time dieticians, masseuses, doctors, and physical therapists. The old-schoolers had none of that — and just like them, neither do we. The sports and fitness economy was far less developed and lucrative than today. Most of the old-timers had day-jobs, and they couldn’t perform them if they were in pain. In the early days of pro football, for example, seasons were just over 60 days. All of the old greats had straight jobs at least 9 months out of the year, and many had part-time jobs during the season. Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik was the last of the “60-minute men” (guys who played every snap – offense and defense — Bednarik played Center and Linebacker). Each day after practice he showered, put on a suit, and sold concrete. Here’s a video about him. This guy was old-school tough. Period. I bet he trained with weights very little, and maybe did a little running. Read this article for more detail. Basically, weight training for football players came hand in hand with money and specialization. If you’re playing both offense and defense, and playing every snap, you can’t be a 350 lbs.

Mitch’s Program

My fitness regimen is now the same every day. I train 4 to 6 days a week, almost always 5 days (M - F). Occasionally life happens and I miss a day, and once in a while I feel fantastic and I train a little on a Saturday. Sunday belongs to Christ (I present Holy Communion on YouTube in the morning and assist my Bishop at evening Mass).
Each training session starts with martial arts. This ensures that I have the energy and the focus to train with sincerity. Front-loading fitness nails your CNS, kills your small motor skills, and saps your brain. This is why military drill instructors ask annoying questions and pose memory tasks during PT — because they know it’s hard.
After martial arts I do MBF (“martial base fitness”) which is a low intensity, slow 4 x 4 x 4 ( 4 sets of 4 reps each of 4 exercises). I pick four exercises from a list of about 30 martial/survival calisthenics, like Wrestler’s Bridge, Shots, Rope Climb, Vaults, Push-ups, Shrimps, etc. This takes about 8 minutes.
After MBF I do a (roughly) 3 x 6 x 3 (3 sets of 6 reps of 3 exercises): 1. Handstand Push-ups (against a wall), 2. Pull-ups and/or Chin-ups, and 3. Dragon Flags (partials – I have to keep one leg bent at the moment, I’m working on it). This takes about 20 minutes.
I wrap up with stone lifts and/or carries. If I do just lifts, I do 3 - 6 reps. If do carries, I usually do 3 for a total of no more than 100 yards. This takes about 8 minutes.
Fitness training time is about 40 minutes per day. I’m super frugal with my time, so for active recovery I do body toughening and forging post work between sets as active recovery, allowing me fold it in without adding additional time. All-in, my daily training session is 60 – 90 minutes.
On top of my daily training regimen, I teach martial arts twice per week. Each class includes a constitutional — that’s 7 different calisthenics, about 25 reps of each.
You can review my training log here.

Mark Hatmaker’s Old School Fitness Training Rules

Mark Hatmaker (see picture on the left, taken last summer, shredded at age 56!) is my martial arts coach, and one of the most incredible humans alive today. Although he’s largely known as “The Human Encyclopedia of Wrestling Holds” he is also a terrifying boxer, a paragon of fitness, virtuoso guitarist, certified sailing captain, certified free driver, demolition derby driver, skydiver, bareback horseman, adopted member of the Comanche Nation (he taught himself the language), six-gun spinner, historian, philosopher, and scholar who reads 6 hours per day. He’s a true old-schooler living and walking around in the modern day. Learn more about him and his methods by (a) listening to his podcast, (b) by signing up for his free weekly email by clicking the link at the bottom of the front page of his website. , or (c) by checking out his Amazon author page.

Here are Mark Hatmaker’s Three Old-School Training Rules

1: LOW VOLUME. 1 exercise per body part per day and no more than 3 sets of 6-8 reps.

2: INTENSITY. Form must be perfect. Don't train to failure.

3: FREQUENCY. 3 days on and 1 day off

Dan John's Easy Strength Rules

Dan John holds the American record in Throws Pentathlon (discus, javelin, shot, hammer and weight) which he set in 2003 at age 42. He credits his track and field success to reducing his lift volume On Feb 12th of this year — at age 61! — he set the unofficial senior American record in Clean and Jerk. He is a former Fulbright scholar who holds masters degrees in both History and Religious Studies and currently teaches religious studies at Columbia College in Missouri. He is also a senior lecturer at St. Mary's University, London. Learn more about the incredible Dan John at his website and get coaching advice at Dan John University. He also has a cool YouTube channel. And by the way, his dog’s name is Sirius Black.

Here are Dan John’s Easy Strength Rules

1. Do the same program every single day

2. Pick just 5 exercises: Posterior Chain (Deadlift, etc), Press, Pull, Explosion (Snatch, Kettle Bell Swing, etc), Anterior Chain (Ab Wheel, Dragon Flag, etc.) NOTE: My program aligns with his very nicely: Posterior Chain = Stone Lift, Press = Handstand Push-up, Pull = Pull-up or Chin-up, and Anterior chain = Dragon Flag. I skip the Explosion exercise — too much volume.

3. Keep reps minimal (2 x 5 for posterior chain and push/pull exercises, one set of 20 - 50 for the explosive moves, and a single set of 5 for the anterior chain)

4. Never plan or worry about the weight or the load. Always stay within yourself and go heavy "naturally."

5. Don't eat chalk, scream, or pound on walls. Simply do each lift without any emotion or excitement and strive for perfect technique.

Champ Thomas. A. C. “Champ” Thomas was a depression-era “fight all comers” carnival boxer and bareknuckle brawler. In the fitness section, he advocates calisthenics only, no weights, very little running (1 mile of 200 yard sprint/walk intervals), and not much of anything else besides (guess what?) boxing. If you want to be good at something, do the something not the other thing. Here’s a link to his book, “How to be an Ass-Whipping Boxer"

Martin Dubovic, "The Top 3 Reasons I Switched To Calisthenics After Years Of Lifting Weights." Not truly an old-schooler, but lots great scientific backup and great personal evidence for the efficacy of calisthenics, which are the original old school training method (dating back to ancient Greece).

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Homily for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sept. 11th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: Ex 32:7-11, 13-14, Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 17, 19, 1 Tm 1:12-17, Lk 15:1-32

Luke 14:25-33 World English Bible Catholic Edition

1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. 2 The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”

3 He told them this parable: 4 “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? 5 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

8 “Or what woman, if she had ten drachma* coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it? 9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost!’ 10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”

11 He said, “A certain man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them. 13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. 14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. 17 But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.” ’

20 “He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate; 24 for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on. 27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ 28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ ”

Brothers and sisters, in today’s Gospel reading, the obvious messages sing out to us from the story of the prodigal son. We see that Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, warning them not to be like the older son who resents the repentant, younger son. And he is also giving the Pharisees another message that he hopes they will appreciate, perhaps even more fully after his death and resurrection, which is that it’s never too late to change direction and return to our Father in Heaven.

And we also easily see that Jesus was also speaking directly to everyone surrounding him at that time, just as he is speaking to each of us right now, and to everyone who ever reads this amazing parable, urging us not be afraid of our Heavenly Father’s anger. But rather, when we come to ourselves and realize we have transgressed, we should go to him with a contrite heart and with true repentance just as the prodigal son did, and beg for forgiveness.

All of this is obvious. But what’s less obvious is that Jesus is telling us to be wasteful with our possessions and our love. In the parable, the younger son is wasteful with his inheritance, and father’s response to his son’s sincere repentance is to be wasteful in kind – with love, food, and material gifts. Jesus wants us to freely forgive, to welcome home all those who, with truly remorseful hearts, return home after having been lost to sin and disobedience in the lands of godlessness. Prodigal actually means “wasteful” and “extravagant.” So let us all be prodigal fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, cousins and neighbors, who give away our love, attention and forbearance without strings, to all who sincerely repent.

And we’ll be wise to remember that it was very hard for the prodigal son to admit his errors and go home. He was so low, so crushed by the guilt of his missteps, that he was deemed unworthy even to eat the food given to pigs. It is very hard for people to repent their ways, for some people, almost impossible. It’s helpful to be mindful of the huge gulf that lies between shamefulness and recklessness.

Let us have patience and hope – for those who are still wandering, as well as for ourselves when we stumble – that our Father in heaven will celebrate and rejoice because we have been “dead and will come to life again.”

Robert Mitchell

September 4, 2022

Terrifying Words: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #319

Robert Mitchell

September 4, 2022

What’s the “weekly mettle maker?”

The weekly mettle maker is a weekly blog post that contains training ideas, information, and fun facts related to Heritage Arts’ programs — Heritage Self-Defense, Heritage Wildwood nature appreciation and survival training, Heritage Fitness, and Heritage Spirit (YouTube church). It’s been around for over 5 years — although we didn’t start numbering them until May of 2018!

Mettle Maker #318

Self-defense: Every martial art, ancient and modern, has certain movements that it seeks to habituate by means of repetition and memorization. Some of the terms for these movements are forms, patterns, kata, tul, pumsae, hyung, drills, flow drills, and sinawali. I’m sure there are plenty more terms in various martial arts and languages. As I was just typing that last sentence, I recalled reading a martial arts book in which the author called his techniques tricks.. For the rest of this article I’ll just use the term forms. Here’s my problem with forms how they are (mostly) taught and performed nowadays: they are sanitized, polite, tame, lukewarm, and profoundly safe. That’s a problem. The purposes of forms, as they were originally intended, was to get human beings ready for battle — correcting outlook and mindset, toughening the spirit, practicing warrior demeanor, cultivating a terrifying aspect so as to intimidate our adversary, and so forth. Practicing a form shouldn’t be merely physical. It should be a mental and spiritual exercise as well. When you practice your forms, be sure to practice your mindset and to also your threatening, aggressive aspect. This is why, at Heritage Self-Defense, we refer to our forms as “mettlecraft drills.” Want more training tips? Come out the club here in Richmond VA or sign up for our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: Sick of the person you see in the mirror? Would you like a coach — somebody to help you design a fitness program and to help keep you motivated and on track? Sign up for our free distance learning program.

Wildwood. Have you ever spent a night alone in the woods? The first time you do this, you will quite probably experience a certain amount of fear, perhaps even terror. But terror is the sister of awe, and you may find that former gives way to the latter as the night progresses. How do you feel as the light gradually fades? What happens to your sensibilities as the day gives way to dusk, and the dusk to night? Are your ears more sensitive, your nerves more jumpy, your mood altered? Sense how much life is around you -- insects, plants, creatures of all kinds -- and really get in touch with it. Breathe it in, tasting the wind like a snake and feeling the pulse of the Earth under your feet. Do you feel insignificant and small, or do you feel larger than life, brave and capable? How do you feel when the moon rises and turns your nighttime world into day? How about when the sun rises in the morning? What to learn more? Read Chapter 30 from the Wildwood Workbook, or sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

Homily for the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sept. 4th, 2022

Readings: Wis 9:13-18b, Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17, Phmn 9-10, 12-17, Lk 14:25-33

Luke 14:25-33 World English Bible Catholic Edition

25 Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard† his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple. 27 Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross and come after me, can’t be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation and isn’t able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy and asks for conditions of peace. 33 So therefore, whoever of you who doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple.

† or, hate

Sometimes, when Jesus sets the bar as high as he does in today’s gospel reading, we tend to prevaricate and think ourselves around into a kind of relaxed complacence. You know what I mean. We say to ourselves, “Well, this is all metaphorical. Jesus doesn’t want to destroy civilization by turning everyone into penniless, family-hating homeless people. Somebody’s gotta have a job or there won’t be any food, goods, art, music, or medicine.” And so we politely put these hard – one might even say terrifying – words of Jesus into a pretty little box and file them away where they can’t scare us anymore.

But listen everybody, that is wrong, wrong, wrong. We cannot do that. Jesus is very clear on this point. He wants us to do the math. He wants us to add up the costs associated with turning away from his instructions. As we are constructing ourselves and building out our lives, Jesus wants us to make the same sorts of calculations that a builder makes when calculating the costs of building a structure. As we are trying to figure what we are going to fight for, protect and defend, he wants us to make the same evaluations a king, president, or prime minister makes when considering war. Jesus wants us to take this very seriously indeed.

How seriously? So seriously that he says we should despise even our own lives, pick up our own crosses, and follow him, or else we can’t be his disciples.

Pick up our own cross?

Pick up our own cross.

Weigh that in your mind. Do the math. Fortunately, our government doesn’t publicly execute criminals in the most humiliating and painful manner ever conceived. Fortunately we no longer make criminals carry the instrument of their own execution to the killing ground, then nail them up so that passersby can jeer at them and watch them slowly die. Fortunately we’ve never seen such a thing. But when Jesus was speaking the words in today’s reading, everyone in earshot had witnessed the horrors of crucifixion. They knew exactly what he was asking. And so should we.

See here. There are so many demands on our time. Family members demand their share of our time and attention. Our bosses make additional demands on our time and are always rearranging our priorities. Plus we face financial demands – paying bills, taxes, loans, and all of that. Sometimes we can’t even make ends meet. Our bodies make demands — for sleep, food, intimacy, entertainment, recreation, and all of that. And we face moral demands. Our political parties want us to toe the party line even when we disagree with elements of the platform. Our governments sometimes ask us to choose one of two reprehensible candidates. In the face of all these demands and compromises, day in and day out, we wonder:

Who am I? What am I doing? What’s the point of all this?

Jesus has the answer and is the answer. When we value him most highly – mind, body, and soul; when we make him the landmark toward which we relentlessly march – as unwaveringly as possible – we have a mission, a direction, a role model, a king, and a purpose. Everything falls in line behind and beneath Jesus.

Can turning away from a domineering, demanding, needy family member feel like “hate?” Sure it can. Can the stresses, setbacks, and sufferings of life can seem like dying a slow death? Of course. Can giving up the rat race, no longer trying to “keep up with the Jones’” and shrugging off the tyranny of material possessions feel like living the life of a wandering disciple? You bet. But do it we must.

If we do not, we will be as incomplete as the unfinished tower and we will lose the war against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

Robert Mitchell

August 28, 2022

Dragons, Moths, and Flaming Fire: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #318

Robert Mitchell

August 28, 2022

What’s the “weekly mettle maker?”

The weekly mettle maker is a weekly blog post that contains training ideas, information, and fun facts related to Heritage Arts’ programs — Heritage Self-Defense, Heritage Wildwood nature appreciation and survival training, Heritage Fitness, and Heritage Spirit (YouTube church). It’s been around for over 5 years — although we didn’t start numbering them until May of 2018!

Mettle Maker #318

Plains Indian knife practice

Arman and I practicing Plains Indian knife

Rough 'n' Tumble Bootcamp 2022

The entire cast and crew of Rough ‘n’ Tumble Bootcamp 2022

Mark Hatmaker

The immortal Mark Hatmaker

My messed up hands

My messed up hands after the camp. My callouses helped but I still got dinked up and bruised.

Cuffing and Catching

Arman and I working on catching and cuffing

Self-defense: Above you will find some pics from Rough ‘n’ Tumble Boot Camp 2022. What a weekend! Hatmaker’s Plains Indian knife material was the most challenging and controversial. The phrase is over-used, but in this case it is perfectly true and apt, so I have to use it: it is paradigm-shattering. It invalidated a ton of my work in this area. Want to learn it? Come out the club here in Richmond VA or sign up for our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: Instead of more volume and the wear-and-tear on your body that go with it, give some serious thought to doing fewer, slower reps of more challenging exercises. Right now, as part of my stone-lifting regimen, I’m in pursuit of my first Dragon Flag, and I’m working towards my goal of 3 x 8 perfect Pull-ups — nice, slow, dead-hang ones mind you, not those ridiculous kipping ones. After that, a Muscle-up. I know I talk about calisthenics a lot. But that’s because calisthenics are to fitness as wrenches are to auto repair. You can do it without them, but it’s way harder. Want help designing a fitness program that suits your needs? Sign up for our free distance learning program.

The Imperial Moth, ***Eacles imperialis*** (huge, about the size of my hand)

Wildwood. Keep your eyes open and pay attention to the real world — put the damn phone down! — and you’ll notice “nature” every moment you are awake. Edible plants spring up in asphalt fissures, Goosefoot loves sidewalk cracks and all the chinks in city stones, at night black bear and coyotes prowl suburban yards, and so on. Nature is everywhere. Here’s a picture of an Imperial Moth, Eacles imperialis, that I spotted on a building a couple of weeks ago. Beautiful, insn’t he? Or she. I’m not good at sexing moths.

Want to learn more about outdoor skills and how to appreciate the natural world? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, August 28th, 2022

Readings: Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29, Ps 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11, Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a, Lk 14:1, 7-14

Luke 14:1, 7-14 World English Bible Catholic Edition

When he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching him. 7

He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them, 8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him, 9 and he who invited both of you would come and tell you, ‘Make room for this person.’ Then you would begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may tell you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you make a dinner or a supper, don’t call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your kinsmen, nor rich neighbors, or perhaps they might also return the favor, and pay you back. 13 But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind; 14 and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.”

Brothers and sisters it's very hard to be humble when all day long, almost every message you receive from the culture, from the television, the internet, and social media says you should sing your own praises. “If you don't toot your own horn there will be no music.” “Do your own thing.” “Be your own person.” “Live your best life” (as if there was more than one) and “Be your authentic self” (as if your authentic self wasn’t a very childish self, desiring delicious food, fancy toys, and a life without homework, chores, and responsibilities).

The Book of Sirach says, “water quenches a flaming fire.” I wonder though, why would you want to quench the flame of your pride? I mean, it's fun isn't it? It’s great to enjoy the first seat at the table, am I right? It’s fun to flaunt your trophies and certificates. It's perfectly natural to show off the things you bought with your hard-earned cash. You earned them, right? You worked hard for them didn't you?

Or did you?

Isn’t it possible that you have them because others care deeply about you and taught you the skills and techniques you used to earn that trophy, award, or money? Isn’t it possible that you owe a debt of gratitude to others, maybe even some who have passed on, like your deceased parents or grandparents, or to a beloved mentor, coach, teacher, or bishop? Or maybe you owe your success to something you learned from a book whose author is long dead. Perhaps you owe something to the college where you earned your degree. Or to your family and friends, the ones who supported you physically and/or emotionally while you were struggling. There may even be some people you’ve forgotten that you owe because, when they gave you hard criticism, you preferred to part ways, only to realize later that they were right and you were wrong.

If you think hard about who deserves the credit for your successes, and if you take the time to cut up the pie of credit and serve it up, you may well find only a very small sliver left for yourself. And maybe that last, tiny serving is attributable to good fortune. It’s almost as if one might say, “to God alone be the glory.”

You might also ask yourself these sorts of questions when you are not doing well, or when those around you are failing. How much of your failure are you blaming on others? How many of the failures that surround you are attributable to your poor leadership or your poor example? Things at first blush or not always what they seem.

When you are feeling down, often this is because you’ve subconsciously realized that you are at fault for something. The good news is that, as we read in Sirach, “alms atone for sins.” Bake a cake for the family next door, or casserole for the elderly widow down the block. Visit a sick relative or friend. Volunteer your time for a charity. Don't just write a check or click a box on the internet. Physically do something, that’s better. Clean out your attic and donate the goods to a charity. Go through your kitchen, pull out the best, most expensive and yummy stuff, and donate it to the food drive (not the old, expired stuff like you usually do). Physical demonstrations of sacrifice and almsgiving are uplifting because they are real. Think about it this way. Maybe the person you are helping had something to do with your success. God’s ways are a mystery.

You never know.

Robert Mitchell

August 14, 2022

Finding Direction: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #317

Robert Mitchell

August 14, 2022

What’s the “weekly mettle maker?”

The weekly mettle maker is a weekly blog post that contains training ideas, information, and fun facts related to Heritage Arts’ programs — Heritage Self-Defense, Heritage Wildwood nature appreciation and survival training, Heritage Fitness, and Heritage Spirit (YouTube church). It’s been around for over 5 years — although we didn’t start numbering them until May of 2018!

Mettle Maker #317

Self-defense: Do you have a training plan in place? Or do you just sort of wander along aimlessly, doing whatever you feel like doing? Nothing wrong with that by the way, if that’s your cup of tea. I’ve done that for months or years at a time. It’s very relaxing, fun, and can lead to insights. But where I am right now, I need a plan. Here’s a sample of my Monday through Friday. Want more training tips and drills in a structured format? Get with the program! Check our our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: I know I talk about calisthenics a lot. But that’s because calisthenics are the “true north” of fitness. Calisthenics promote functional strength by increasing proprioception (body awareness), demonstrate higher motor unit recruitment (total muscle fibers engaged) and burn more calories than most other forms of exercise. If you’re not doing calisthenics, you might not have started training yet! Watch the video on the right. Want help designing a fitness program that suits your needs? Sign up for our free distance learning program.

This picture was taken around 11 AM facing south. The sun is on the left, shading the right sides of the clouds.

Wildwood. What do bird calls, clouds, wind direction, and powerful smells all have in common? They are all compasses when you are in dense woodland.

Sounds, like bird calls or the rushing of a river, and smells, like aroma of smoke or a stand of honeysuckle, can be kept on one side as a way of maintaining direction of travel. If you are hemmed in by trees and can only see one lonely cloud through the canopy, you can get a rough idea of direction by which side of the cloud is shaded. If you took note of the wind direction before you entered the woods, pay attention when there is a gust and you can get a rough idea of direction when there is a gust — the rustling of the wind will sound first in the direction from which it is coming and move toward you, buffered by leaves.

When you’re in the woods, pay attention closely. There’s more going on than you realize. Want to learn more about outdoor skills? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

Homily for the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, August 14th, 2022 – Archdeacon Mitch

Readings: Jer 38:4-6, 8-10, Ps 40:2, 3, 4, 18, Heb 12:1-4, Lk 12:49-53

Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 World English Bible Catholic Edition

4 Then the princes said to the king, “Please let this man be put to death, because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them; for this man doesn’t seek the welfare of this people, but harm.”

5 Zedekiah the king said, “Behold, he is in your hand; for the king can’t do anything to oppose you.”

6 Then they took Jeremiah and threw him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king’s son, that was in the court of the guard. They let down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.

8 Ebedmelech went out of the king’s house, and spoke to the king, saying, 9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon. He is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.”

10 Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.”

Some translations of these passages, especially older ones, say that Jeremiah was thrown into a dungeon. But the literal word in the Hebrew is habbor, which means “pit, well, or cistern,” and in the Latin Vulgate translation the word used is lacum which means “lake.” The reason why it was previously translated as “dungeon” is that it didn’t make any sense to throw a human being into a place where precious water is stored. We take it for granted, brothers and sisters, but in some places in the world today, were things are very much like they were in the time of Jeremiah, water is as precious as silver or more so. Literally life and death.

So when the old-timers read this passage they probably thought, “That’s stupid. This must mean ‘dungeon,’ not ‘cistern.’” But make no mistake, Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern. A cistern is an underground space for storing precious water, usually collected rainwater. In ancient times, especially in dry climates like the Middle East, they are and were very common. And from time to time they cease to be viable. Their walls crack and they leak. Animals fall in, drown, and foul the water. Metals, minerals, or other contaminants leach into the water from the surrounding stone. And when that happens, they’re only good for one thing – garbage pits. Archeologists love to find old wells and cisterns that have been used this way. They’re treasure troves. That’s why we read, “In the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.” That sentence makes no sense unless you read substitute the word “cistern” for “dungeon.”

The fact that it’s a cistern used as a dump explains why, further on, Ebedmelech says Jeremiah is “likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.” Times are so tough in Jerusalem that there’s no garbage going into the abandoned cistern where Jeremiah has been cast down. Ebedmelech is saying, “if we don’t get him out soon, he’s going to starve to death because there aren’t any fresh scraps getting thrown down for him to scavenge upon.”

In the Bible, details like this matter. So what’s so important about the fact that Jeremiah has been thrown into a cracked or despoiled cistern being used as a dump? Because, remember, Jeremiah has been sent by God to get the people to dig deeper, to tap into his wellspring of living water. In Jeremiah 2:13, God speaks to Jeremiah and declares, “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water.”

The crushing irony of the story – the thunderous power of the prophesy – resounds through the ages! The people of Jerusalem were so starved for true food and true drink that they threw the prophet who could save them into – what? A discarded cistern full of garbage. It’s no wonder the city fell to Babylon!

Don’t you see? Moses was cast into the water as a baby and rescued by a slave. Jeremiah was cast into the cistern and recued by the slave Ebedmelech. And we are just like Moses and just like Jeremiah. We are cast into the waters of baptism and saved by Christ Jesus. For, as St. Paul said in Philippians 2: 5-7, Christ Jesus emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being made in the likeness of men. My friends, let us tap into the living waters of God.

Robert Mitchell

August 7, 2022

Sticks, Fish, and Thunderbolts: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #316

Robert Mitchell

August 7, 2022

What’s the “weekly mettle maker?”

The weekly mettle maker is a weekly blog post that contains training ideas, information, and fun facts related to Heritage Arts’ programs — Heritage Self-Defense, Heritage Wildwood nature appreciation and survival training, Heritage Fitness, and Heritage Spirit (YouTube church). It’s been around for over 5 years — although we didn’t start numbering them until May of 2018!

Mettle Maker #316

Self-defense: I know firsthand how hard it can be for folks who want to avoid violence to get into training with weapons. But the reality is, people use weapons. And the best way to defend yourself against a weapon is to arm yourself. In addition to that, if your club doesn’t practice using weapons, you’ll always be training to defend yourself against the unskilled. Get over your difficulties, trepidations, and reservations, and learn to fight with weapons. Here at Heritage Self-Defense, we practice knife and cane. We feel these two cover the most common weapon categories: short/sharp (knives, box cutters, screwdrivers, small household objects) and medium/blunt (wrecking bar, baseball bat, lamp, etc.) Bracing, racking, and bayonet-type strikes are oft-neglected techniques that can be tricky to delver with a medium/blunt weapon. Watch the video above and then put in a few rounds of bracing, racking, and bayonet strikes on your heavy bag. Want more training tips and drills in a structured format? Get with the program! Check our our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: It took me two years of consistent work to get my first Handstand Push-up. Here’s how I did it.. Want help designing a fitness program that suits your needs? Sign up for our free distance learning program.

HANDSTAND PUSH-UP PROGRAM

Stage 1: 5 or 6 days/week, do 3 sets of 10 Push-ups. Form is key. Go nice and slow (2-count down, hold a full count, 2-count up, hold a full count, repeat). Cover the full range of motion, and stop 1 rep short of failure on each set. Write down your numbers. When you can get 10,10,10, elevate your feet by a few inches using stacked blocks, a weight bench, etc.

Stage 2: When you get to a point where your body is at a 45° angle or so, which is hard on your back, change to Jackknife Push-ups — feet on a box/bench, bent at the waist at 90° — and go to 3 sets of 8 reps. Essentially you will be doing a Handstand Push-up with the weight of your legs off-loaded to the box. If you cannot get 1, put a Yoga block under your head and do partials. When you can get 8.8.8 — covering the full range of motion and stopping 1 rep short of failure on each set — reduce the height of the blocks. When you can get 8,8,8 without any blocks, go to Graduated Handstand Push-ups.

Stage 3: Stack up two Yoga blocks and do partial Handstand Push-ups. Switch now to 3 sets of 5 reps instead of 3 sets of 10. When you can get 5,5,5 — stop 1 rep short of failure on each set. — reduce the height of the blocks until, at last, you get your first Handstand Push-up.

Wildwood. Can you identify the most common fish in North America? The best way to get to know the most common fish, their habitats, and how to catch them for food, fun, or survival is go fishing!

But, if you can’t quite get there just yet, check out the illustration on the right. It’s from The After School Library in 12 Volumes: Volume V The Animal World by Theodore Wood and edited by Hamilton Wright Mabie. I love this book — really fun to just sit and browse. Old books about naturalism have an entirely different sensibility.

Want to learn more about survival? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

19th Sunday of Ordinary Time, August 7, 2022

Readings: Wis 18:6-9, Ps 33:1, 12, 18-19, 20-22, Heb 11:1-2, 8-19, Lk 12:32-48

Luke 12:32-48 World English Bible Catholic Edition

32 “Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give gifts to the needy. Make for yourselves purses which don’t grow old, a treasure in the heavens that doesn’t fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

35 “Let your waist be dressed and your lamps burning. 36 Be like men watching for their lord when he returns from the wedding feast, that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open to him. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will dress himself, make them recline, and will come and serve them. 38 They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch and finds them so. 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don’t expect him.”

41 Peter said to him, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everybody?”

42 The Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the right times? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes. 44 Truly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken, 46 then the lord of that servant will come in a day when he isn’t expecting him and in an hour that he doesn’t know, and will cut him in two, and place his portion with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his lord’s will, and didn’t prepare nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes, 48 but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.”

Brothers and sisters, perhaps you are like me and, from time to time, with no rhyme or reason, the reality of a particular biblical reading crashes down like a thunderbolt. Now, the Gospel is always real – I don’t mean to imply otherwise – it’s just that there are times when it seems Jesus is speaking directly to me as if physically in the room. That is what happened with this passage the other day.

A little background is in order. As I’ve shared with you before, I lost my faith as a young man and spent many years practicing various religions before I found my way back to Christ and heard the call to pursue the priesthood. In those days, the one constant in my life was martial arts. Although I practiced many faiths for all those years, martial arts were, for all practical purposes, my religion. And the symbol I selected to represent my martial arts club all those years ago was a winged hourglass. I still run that club. It’s called Heritage Self-Defense, and it’s logo is still a winged hourglass.

When I originally picked it back in 2008, it was because I thought it was cool. I thought it meant, “live life to the fullest because time flies.” And that’s true as far as it goes. But it wasn’t until later, when I found my way back to Christ, that I saw a deeper meaning. The hourglass, with it’s two identical halves, represents the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Man and God coming together as One, breaking into human time. I thought I had made up a cool symbol for my club. But in reality, I had been fully in God’s grasp even then. I didn’t pick the symbol. The symbol picked me. God knew exactly where I was headed and he put a logo in my head that I wouldn’t appreciate fully until I appreciated the mission of his beloved Son.

And then the other day, preparing to write today’s homily, this passage broke in upon me. “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” It is! It felt like Jesus was right there in the room. It is! Not “it will be” or “it was” but “it is.” Before, I had always read this as something that would happen in the future. I thought Jesus was saying that, in the fullness of time, we might perhaps inherit his kingdom. But I saw that we’ve already been given the kingdom. Jesus, our Lord, has ascended into heaven and left the household for a while, just like the human lord in the parable. And we, his faithful servants, are charged with taking care of his kingdom just as he would, until he comes back.

And now that winged hourglass means something more. Yes, indeed, time flies. And at any moment our Lord will come home. And we would be wise to remember that, “To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.”

Robert Mitchell

July 31, 2022

Sticks, Cords, and Heavenly Things: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #315

Robert Mitchell

July 31, 2022

What’s the “weekly mettle maker?”

The weekly mettle maker is a weekly blog post that contains training ideas, information, and fun facts related to Heritage Arts’ programs — Heritage Self-Defense, Heritage Wildwood nature appreciation and survival training, Heritage Fitness, and Heritage Spirit (YouTube church). It’s been around for over 5 years — although we didn’t start numbering them until May of 2018!

Mettle Maker #315

Self-defense: Put a slip stick on your heavy bag and put in a solid half-hour of training, either boxing or using your wooden knife mock-ups. See video on the left. Want more training tips and drills in a structured format? Get with the program! Check our our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: As part of my re-invigorated quest to put wind under a 200 lb. stone, I’ve gotten back into doing Pull-ups. I think fully-core-engaged pulling power is going to be essential. Now, I never stopped doing some Chin-ups — which I prefer over Pull-ups because the muscles involved are more martially-relevant — but I think I’m going to need to recruit more back when picking up rocks. Here’s my program for going from 1 Pull-up to (hopefully) 20 or more. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. Want help designing a fitness program that suits your needs? Sign up for our free distance learning program.

PULL-UP PROGRAM (for those who can do at least 1 Pull-up)

Day 1: Complete as many Pull-ups as you can in 5 minutes, first set to failure (that’s your SSM or “single set max”). This total is target “T” for the week. Write it in your training log along with your SSM.

Day 2: Complete 2 x T of Chin-ups, plus 100% of T in Pull-ups. No sets to failure on any exercise — stop 1 rep short of failure on every set of both exercises.

Day 3: Complete 2 x T of Commando Pull-ups, plus 130% of T in Pull-ups. No sets to failure on any exercise — stop 1 rep short of failure on every set of both exercises.

Day 4: Hang to fail + 160% of T in Pull-ups. On Pull-ups, no sets to failure — stop 1 rep short of failure.

Day 5: Repeat. Complete as many Pull-ups as you can in 5 minutes and note your SSM. Did your total and/or SSM go up? If so, repeat the sequence using your total is your new “T.” If neither goes up, take 1 to 2 weeks off and re-start.

Notes: Take one day off per week, and do not ignore the rules about going, or not going, to failure depending on the exercise and the day (it really does matter, I promise). This is inspired by the Athlean-X program — I’ve adapted it based on my personal insight and experience. Your mileage may vary.

Wildwood. I love to read old books about survival. Many of them are available to read free of charge online, as they are outside copyright. Here’s a fun one — the most popular survival book of the 19th century: The Prairie Traveler by Capt. Randolph B. Marcy.

At one point in the book he talks about making a lariat from cowhide. Frankly I was a little surprised Marcy didn’t mention the following trick that can be used whenever you need to get a long piece of cordage from a small scrap. Start at the outside, cut a circle, and cut your way in a long, slow spiral until you run out of material. Twist the material gently up and it will make cordage.

No, it’s not perfect, but this method will yield more product than tying together straight strips. In the photo set on the right, I turned a 10” scrap of cloth into 70” of cordage. Want to learn more about survival? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

18th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 29, 2022

Readings: Ecc 1:2; 2:21-23, Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17, Col 3:1-5, 9-11, Lk 12:13-21

Luke 12:13-21 World English Bible, Catholic Edition

13 One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”

16 He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly. 17 He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’ 18 He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” ’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’ 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

I would like for us to explore together today, brothers and sisters, what Jesus might mean when he says in Luke12:14, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” The question is, if we cannot rely on Jesus, our Lord, Master and Savior to adjudicate for us, upon whom can we rely? Why would Jesus, who comes “to judge the quick and the dead” as it says in the Apostle’s Creed, deny his mandate to judge?

Often when exploring scripture, we find that context, as the saying goes is king. So let’s look at the stanzas immediately following. Jesus says, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”

Perhaps, my friends, we are meant to understand that Jesus’ judgement has nothing to do with the material world. His judgement is a form of heavenly judgement rather than a material one. Jesus, who is from heaven and of heaven, is concerned with heavenly things. What are heavenly things? Heavenly things, in Greek epouranios (ep-oo-RAN-ee-os) literally “of heaven,” are the things that are in, of, or from the divine, eternal, spiritual world, or which relate to spiritual truths. Some examples:

· In John 3, when Nicodemus asks Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh…Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things? …If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”

· In Hebrews 8, we read that the Tabernacle is an imperfect copy of the perfect heavenly sanctuary which contains “heavenly things.”

· In Genesis 1 we read, “God created man in his own image.” We are imperfect material “earthly things” that are copies of the one, original, and perfect “heavenly thing.”

In a similar way, an earthly judge is an imperfect image of the perfect heavenly judge, Jesus. An earthly judge sits in judgement of earthly matters, like the inheritance case the man posed to Jesus in today’s reading. Jesus, on the other hand, sits in judgement of heavenly matters – the concerns of the spirit, our unseen thoughts and desires, our actual soul. He judges the degree of sin and disorder in our hearts – the covetousness itself – not the particulars of earthly cases regarding possessions.

If I’m correct, what this means is that Jesus has no interest in worldly squabbles. His courtroom is the human heart.

Robert Mitchell

July 24, 2022

Leather, Stone, Copper, and Bread: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #314

Robert Mitchell

July 24, 2022

As we announced a couple of weeks back…

We’re making just one weekly blog post with everything included. You’ll get the weekly Mettle Maker that used to be posted on Saturdays, plus the weekly Holy Communion all in one.

Mettle Maker #314

Self-defense: Put in 11 mins all-in-fighting your floor bag. What’s a floor bag? It’s a heavy bag with the chains either removed, taped up, or replaced with rope so that it can be safely punched, grappled and wrestled. Strike it. Bridge it. Pommel-horse it. Practice your fall-away Arm-bar, your knee and toe insertions, your props, saddles, shin rides, and so forth. If your training regime calls for something in the red-line, run 2 x 5:00 with a 1:00 break. To stay in the yellow, go with a 3 x 3:00/1:00. Or keep in the green by setting a timer for 11:00 and working purely on form at a slow, relaxed pace. Want more training tips and drills in a structured format? Get with the program! Check our our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: As I reported last week, I’ve resumed my quest to put wind under a 200 lb. stone. Why should you care about lifting rocks and sandbags? Heavy carries build functional strength. Watch the short clip on the right from the immortal Dan John and consider getting yourself a big old sandbag or maybe finding/making some lifting stones.

Want help designing a fitness program that suits your needs? Sign up for our free distance learning program.

Wildwood. When identifying wild edibles, always be on the lookout for mimics. At first glance the plant on the left looks like it could be either a wild mint or a horehound, both of which are very useful herbs. But it’s actually Virginia Copperleaf or Acalypha virginica, and its mildly toxic. Note that the smaller leaves that are closest to the stem are palmate rather than lanceolate. Want to learn more about survival? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

Robert Mitchell

July 17, 2022

Do This First: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #313

Robert Mitchell

July 17, 2022

As we announced a couple of weeks back…

We’re making just one weekly blog post with everything included. You’ll get the weekly Mettle Maker that used to be posted on Saturdays, plus the weekly Holy Communion all in one.

Mettle Maker #313

Self-defense: Try the 10-min Heavy Bag Power & Balance Drill (left). You’ll be surprised how much harder it is to balance when your CNS is stressed. Be aware of this in the event you’re in a situation that requires switching rapidly back and forth between fight and escape. Want more training tips and drills in a structured format? Get with the program! Check our our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: After the heart attack last year I kind of gave up on my goal of putting wind under a 200 lb. stone. But you know what? Momma didn’t raise no quitter. So I’m going all-in with a new program designed to help me get an insufferably heavy rock off the ground (see overview on the right).

To be clear, this 16-week cycle isn’t designed to get me to the goal of 200 lbs, it’s designed to get me to the next level (whatever that is). My current max sandbag lift to chest is 145 for three reps, and my best ever sandbag walk is 155 lbs (Bear Hug Carry for 25 yards on 5/13/21).

I’m going to attempt to do this in a way that defies the conventional strong-man wisdom, which is that you have to sling a great deal of heavy iron in order to lift big rocks. Here are some of my basic assumptions when creating the program:

Performance is specific and not very transferable. Therefore, the way to get better at lifting stones is to lift stones. Most of the program consists of picking up sandbags (later, rocks — I have to build them first). Sprinting doesn’t help marathon runners and marathons don’t help sprinters. Why should lifting barbells help me lift rocks? The only barbell lift in the program is Thrusters because they most closely approximate stone lifting (pick up object from ground and get it to your chest).
Calisthenics are essential. One of the things that has become very clear — to me, Mark Hatmaker (see his Unleaded program), and to the scientific world — is that calisthenics and other gymnastic-like movements, are an important part of true, all-around strength. to whit:
- Closed chain kinetic exercises (exercises where the whole body is involved, like calisthenics) force your body to work as a whole unit, while open chain exercises (bicep curls and isolation exercises) target one or two specific muscles.
- Calisthenics promote improved proprioception (awareness of body movement) which is strength in action rather than in a vacuum.
- Calisthenics demonstrate higher motor unit recruitment (number of muscle cells engaged in the activity) than many other forms of exercises, which results in faster and greater muscle growth.

Here’s a nice overview of what’s at issue.

I’ll blog my results as we go forward. Want help designing a fitness program that suits your needs? Sign up for our free distance learning program.

Wildwood. Do you keep an emergency fishing kit in your first aid kit? If not, you should. See photo of mine on the left — everything fits in a little lip balm tin. On the left side, sitting in the lid, is a mini primitive fishing rig. That’s about 7’ of line wrapped around a scrap of stick. Instead of hook you’ll see a tiny stick that’s pointed on both ends which serves as a hook if you don’t have one. Inside the tin you see two hooks with weights and leaders, one small, one medium. When everything’s tucked in, that hunk of wine cork fits right on top in case I need or want to fashion a bobber. Want to learn more about survival? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

16th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 17, 2022

Readings: Gn 18:1-10a, Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 5, Col 1:24-28, Lk 10:38-42

Lk 10:25-37 World English Bible (Catholic Edition)

38 As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me.”

41 Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Isn’t it miraculous, brothers and sisters, how much meaning is packed into the stories of Jesus life and works? In this short anecdote from Luke 10, barely a hundred words in length, there so many messages for us.

Historically and prophetically, this passage shows that Jesus knew he wasn’t long for the world. He supports and justifies Mary shirking her chores to take advantage of receiving his teaching while there’s still time. And he encourages Martha to do the same. We can imagine, can’t we, after Jesus’ crucifixion, Martha ends up wishing she has been a good deal more like Mary! And this is also a warning to humanity, isn’t it? That we should all take the time to sit down at the feet of the Lord, Master and Savior Jesus Christ while we have time? For time is surely running out for each and every one of us to repent and believe in the Gospel before we go to our graves. And that’s a powerful message for sure.

But what I most want to focus on in today’s reading is its message of interiority and anti-materialism. When Martha is frustrated about Mary not helping with the chores, she asks Jesus to make her help. Isn’t that the way it always is? For some people life is just easier. I know people like that. Money just seems to fall from the sky, good fortune follows them, they don’t need to prepare or to struggle. And it’s easy to be jealous like Martha, isn’t it? We want them to have to struggle as hard as we do. We want the world to take them down a notch. But Jesus says that we shouldn’t see things that way.

Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” He seems to be saying that there are many things that we have to do in our workaday lives. We have to do our chores, and make a living, and pay our bills, and take out the trash. We have to worry about our personal appearance, and we have to keep up appearances – we have to entertain our bosses, and host parties and holidays, and so on. We have to worry about money, and retirement, all of that. The list of things we have to be worried about is endless.

But in the end, only one thing is truly essential: that we listen to the teaching of the Lord. Because when we listen to his teachings, it directs how we do all of those other things. When we put the world second and really sit at the feet of the Lord, all of those other activities are redefined and properly ordered by his needs.

And therefore, although we are faulty and imperfect, we can at least fulfill all of our ever-multiplying obligations in the most Christ-like manner possible.

Robert Mitchell

July 10, 2022

Breaking Chains, Hiding, and Henry Rollins: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #312

Robert Mitchell

July 10, 2022

As we announced last week…

We’re making just one weekly blog post with everything included. You’ll get the weekly Mettle Maker that used to be posted on Saturdays, plus the weekly Holy Communion all in one.

Why the change?

We’re re-focusing on our mission to bring the wisdom of the past into the present, and we feel strongly that there’s no need to create separate weekly messages because mind, body, and spirit are one. You know this to be true for a thousand reasons. People with brain injuries experience changes s in personality, mood makes difficult ordeals fun, attitude and morale affect group cohesion, aches and pains make you short-tempered, and so forth. The outside affects the inside and vice versa. Why differentiate the material?

Mettle Maker #312

Self-defense: Try the martial fitness routine (a.k.a. “constitutional”) we did the the other night — see the pics on the left. See if you can beat my time of 19:37. Don’t know what the abbreviations mean? Get with the program! Check our our free distance learning program here.

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Fitness: Mind, body, and spirit are one. You know this to be true for a thousand reasons — people with physical injuries and diseases that affect the brain experience alterations in personality. If you’re in a good mood and in the company of others who are encouraging you, a physical ordeal can become fun. Religious rituals increase pain tolerance. Try adding some spiritual training onto the end your fitness training session — see video on the right. Want more on this topic? Today’s homily (see below) features the true story of a famous boy — one Henry Rollins — who was rescued from self-loathing and thoughts of suicide by a caring teacher’s intervention, mainly via fitness instruction. Want help designing a mind-body-spirit fitness program? Sign up for our free distance learning program.

Wildwood. Check out this short intro to skulking from the 7th Edition of Sir Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys. Staying low is important even at night, Baden-Powell says, because you could be spotted as a dark outline against a field of stars. Nowadays there is too much light pollution for that to be likely. But what about standing out against the backdrop of a lighted sign or billboard in the city? Over a hundred years old, and still sound advice. Get there! Want to learn more? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 10, 2022

Readings: Dt 30:10-14, Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37, Col1:15-20, Lk 10:25-37

Lk 10:25-37 World English Bible (Catholic Edition)

25 Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind;✡ and your neighbor as yourself.”✡

28 He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, 34 came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ 36 Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?”

37 He said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Some years ago my friend and fellow fitness enthusiast Leo – a patron of St. Barachiel Chapel, a missionary to prisoners, and a powerful witness of the Gospel – shared with me an essay called “Iron and the Soul” by the famous punk rock star Henry Rollins.* In the essay Rollins tells the story of his childhood rescue by a teacher named Mr. Pepperman. Rollins had been abandoned, bullied, and demeaned for most of his young life, so much so that, by the time he was in high school, he was possessed by fear, humiliation, self-loathing, and thoughts of suicide. But Mr. Pepperman intervened and saved his life. Leading by example, Pepperman showed him how to walk through the world in a different way and improved Rollin’s health and self-esteem through weightlifting.

To be clear, Rollins is not a Christian, nor is he a saint. But in the world of rock music, permeated with dissolution, drug and alcohol abuse, he sets a powerful example of sobriety, health, and fitness. A passionate advocate of peace and justice, Rollins doesn’t fully realize how deeply Christian his viewpoint is. As an example, he says that most weightlifting injuries come from ego – lack of self-control and showing off – and that ego must be put aside in order to pursue real strength, both internal strength and physical strength. In his view, being pumped up with big muscles doesn’t equate to strength, and training for cosmetic reasons is like doing good for the sake of appearances rather than out of sincerity. Real strength of character, he says, is manifested in kindness and understanding. Isn’t that remarkable? I pray, and I hope you’ll pray with me brothers and sisters, that Henry Rollins will one day put down the burden of his agnosticism, lift up the cross of Jesus Christ, and carry it in his heart.

And so, when I read the story of the Good Samaritan, I think of Rollin’s article for two reasons. The first and most obvious reason is, of course, that Mr. Pepperman is an example of a good Samaritan. He stepped in and gave young Henry Rollins the extra attention and mentorship he needed during a critical time. And by doing so, he saved a young man’s mental, emotional, moral, and literal life.

The second, less obvious reason is that the parable of the Good Samaritan is just like iron, and iron doesn’t lie. As Rollins points out in his article, in a world full of chaos and unpredictability, two hundred pounds of iron is always two hundred pounds of iron. You can either lift it or you cannot. If you lifted it last month and today you cannot, you’ve grown weaker. If you could not lift it last month and today you can, you’ve grown stronger. With iron there is no faking it. There are no excuses.

And that is the way it is with the parable of the Good Samaritan. We either lift up our neighbors or we do not. We can either be like a certain lawyer and argue about definitions and semantics, or we can pick up those who are in need of love, compassion, help, and protection and carry them to safety. We either bless those who curse us and do good to those who hate us, or we do not.

There is no faking it. There are no excuses.

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* To read Henry Rollin’s article Iron and the Soul, click here.

Robert Mitchell

July 3, 2022

1776, 87, and 72: Holy Communion and Mettle Maker #311

Robert Mitchell

July 3, 2022

As we announced last week…

We’re making just one weekly blog post with everything included. You’ll get the weekly Mettle Maker that used to be posted on Saturdays, plus the weekly Holy Communion all in one.

Why the change?

We’re re-Focusing on our mission to bring the wisdom of the past into the present via free classes relating to self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development. We’re looking toward the future while preserving our shared human heritage — the accumulated knowledge of those who came before us.

And we’re encouraging you to remember that life is short — so live with intent!

And now, on with the show!

1776, 87, and 72

In honor of Independence Day tomorrow (that’s the 1776) I present the Gettysburg Address (a famous speech given 87 years later) which references Independence Day. In these partisan, imperiled times, Lincoln’s words seems as poignant and appropriate as they were back then.

And then, at the bottom of this post I present my homily on the commissioning of the 72 disciples from Luke 10.

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

—Abraham Lincoln

Mettle Maker #311

Self-defense: Here’s what a typical training session looks for me these days:

Forms (Star, Moon, Dragon, Wheel, and Raven), 100 kicks (10 x 10), 5 mins on the heavy bag, 10 mins of live strikes on the forging post (5 with tomahawk and 5 with Bowie), MBF (martial base fitness - 4 x 4 x 4 of low-impact martial fitness exercises), body toughening, and a set of either Thrusters (3 x 10) or Sandbag Carries (3 x 50 yards), a 3 min cool-down, and 15 minutes of internal work (contemplation, meditation, or prayer). This takes about an hour and 15 mins. What does your routine look like? Want to start training at home? Check our our free distance learning program.

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Fitness: If you can’t do it every day, maybe you can’t do it. This common-sense concept seems to be back into vogue these days. Heritage Arts distance learning program graduate James is all about the Tactical Barbell program, which operates on a similar idea. Pavel has made a career out of lauding his lower-impact “greasing the groove” concept, Mark Hatmaker has gone full-bore into his reduced impact “unleaded program” and yours truly has been banging the MBF drum for several years now. Want details on MBF? Read all about it in Martial Grit or sign up for our free distance learning program.

Wildwood. Check out this handy reference from the 7th Edition of Sir Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys. Over a hundred years old, and still sound advice. Get there! Want to learn more? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

Holy Communion for the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 3, 2022

Readings: Is 66:10-14c, Ps 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20, Gal 6:14-18, Lk 10:1-12, 17-20

Luke 10:1-12 American Standard Version

10 Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy [a]others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. 2 And he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes; and salute no man on the way. 5 And into whatsoever house ye shall [b]enter, first say, Peace be to this house. 6 And if a son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon [c]him: but if not, it shall turn to you again. 7 And in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10 But into whatsoever city ye shall enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof and say, 11 Even the dust from your city, that cleaveth to our feet, we wipe off against you: nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh. 12 I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

17 And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. 20 Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

We read today that the story of the seventy – or the seventy-two, depending on the source document from which our translation is derived. Ancient scrolls are split about fifty-fifty on that score. But regardless of the total number of disciples, many directives about how we should evangelize are embedded in this story. Some are obvious, some less so.

Obviously, we are supposed to travel and work in faith rather than relying on material things. Thus, we are told to take no purse, wallet or shoes. Rather than hopping from house to house, we’re supposed to get to know our hosts and become a part of the family for a while. He tells us to eat what’s put before us, something everyone in a family learns from a young age – to respect and appreciate the food that hard work has purchased, and love has seasoned.

And if the town doesn’t welcome us? Well, the Lord says we should wipe the dirt of their town from our feet and, on the way out, give them the same message we always give whether we stay or whether we go: the Kingdom of God is at hand, that is to say, it is right here and within our reach if only we’ll repent and believe in the Gospel. And this isn’t surprising, considering that Jesus says the law and the prophets boil down to loving our neighbor as ourselves.

But what’s less obvious is why the Lord twice refers to his disciples as laborers. Not as guests, teachers, or servants, but as laborers. A laborer sweats. His hands blister and his back aches. After years of toil his body can break down, and every day the chance of injury looms. So this is serious business to which we’re being commissioned. This isn’t tidying up and taking out the trash. Brothers and sisters, we’re being called to hard labor, and we need to earn our keep.

Then, finally, the Lord says he has given us authority to tread upon snakes and scorpions and that nothing will harm us. Now this is a little sticky. We know that we shouldn’t tempt God by throwing ourselves from high places expecting to fly, for example, and he’s clear that we shouldn’t celebrate victories over snakes and scorpions over as our own. He says, “rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” What are we to make of this? Surely, we shouldn’t expect immunity to suffering at the hands of risks and dangers of all kinds?

The lives of the saints and martyrs demonstrate that the most dedicated, pious, and selfless Christians suffer every pain, suffering, disease, injury, and injustice imaginable, every persecution, torture, and wrongdoing that can be conceived by evil forces and perpetrated by misguided people. So, perhaps Jesus is saying to us that just as we are sent out as a group we won’t be overcome as a group. One or two of us might be taken out, but not all of us. Some of us may suffer horribly, but not all of us. An entire generation of disciples may perish, but the next generation will take up the labor anew.

Brothers and sisters, I think the Lord is sending us out into the world, not as individuals but as part of the immortal body of Christ. If that’s what Jesus means, then we can all see that’s true beyond doubt. Nothing to date has been successful halting the mission, and nothing ever will.

Robert Mitchell

June 25, 2022

New Blog Format, New Video Series, Etc. (Mettle Maker Inside!)

Robert Mitchell

June 25, 2022

Heads up: New Video Series

We’ve started a new video series on the power of ritual. The first one in the new series, called “Ritual is Prime,” is already up. Subsequent episodes are going to get even more edgy, creative, and challenging, and some are going to be targeted at specific YouTubers with whom we want to dialogue.

Our goal with the new series is to get the message out. We want to talk about something we feel is extremely important — the uniting power of ritual! — while making friends with other individuals and organizations with whom we share vision. Also, we think this series has the potential to be very entertaining and illuminating, and we need all the viewers we can get. The Heritage YouTube channel only has a few hundred followers, and we need to get it up to 1,000 in order to monetize.

New Format

This week we announce our new format — one weekly blog post with everything included. You’ll get the weekly Mettle Maker that has been posting on Saturdays, plus the weekly Holy Communion that used to come out on Sundays. This week we’re moving to the new format today. But going forward, you’ll get the new all-in-format post on Sundays.

Why the change? Well, this will save Mitch a little time so that he can write more books and make better videos. But mainly we’re trying to encourage people who come for one thing to read, enjoy, share and benefit from the entire banquet when they come. We’re trying to refine our focus and make clear our mission.

Speaking of which…

Re-Focusing on Our Mission

Heritage Arts’ mission is to bring the wisdom of the past into the present via free classes relating to self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development. We’re looking toward the future while preserving our shared human heritage — the accumulated knowledge of those who came before us.

And we’re encouraging you to remember that life is short — so live with intent!

And now, on with the show!

More Power: Mettle Maker #310

Self-defense: Put in 3 rounds of full power knife training vs. your heavy bag. Pay attention to what happens. Does one of more thrust, stab, or slash hurt your hand, tweak your wrist, or make your elbow go wonky? If you can’t do it full power, it’s not a weapon. Get there. Want more martial arts training info? Check our our free distance learning program.

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Fitness: What is power? In classical mechanical physics, P = W/T, that is to say, power is work over time. The faster you do the same work, the more power you need. One mechanical horsepower lifts 550 pounds (250 kg) by 1 foot high in 1 second (about 756 watts). A Ford Escort with a 110 hp motor weighing in a 2,400 lbs goes from 0 to 60 mph in 11 seconds. A Shelby Cobra with a 320 hp motor gets there in just 4.4 seconds, despite weighing a few hundred more pounds. When you train for power, you are training to do the same work across a shorter time span. A sprinter is always training for power, period. A weightlifter who is trying to do as many thrusters as possible in 30 seconds is training for power. A martial artist training to hit a heavy a bag as hard as possible is training for power. Keep this in mind when you train. And always make sure that you are training with one of the six training dimensions in mind (Speed, Accuracy, Form, Endurance, Mobility, or Power). What’s the difference between speed and power? Read the book featured on the right, or sign up for our free distance learning program.

Wildwood. Power is work over time. In survival we often have to get things done quickly, like make shelter before dark or get a fire going before our hands get numb from cold. But increased power burns more calories. That’s a real concern whether you’re just carrying your food on a long hike or you’re in a survival situation. What to do? Get smarter and more efficient. Here’s an example. When you need to gather wood, just amble along spotting the best dead wood. When you think you’ve seen enough to make an armload, walk the same path back and gather as you go. This will drastically cut your caloric expense (especially if the wood is heavy)! Want to learn more? Sign up for our free Wildwood distance learning program.

Holy Communion for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary 6/25/22

To follow along at home, click here and print the Holy Communion Program. Text of today’s homily below.

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Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, June 25, 2022

Readings: Lam 2:2, 10-14, 18-19, Ps 74:1b-2, 3-5, 6-7, 20-21, Lk 2:41-51

Luke 2:41-51 American Standard Version

41 And his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up after the custom of the feast; 43 and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not; 44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey; and they sought for him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance: 45 and when they found him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking for him. 46 And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions: 47 and all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and he was subject unto them: and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

Brothers and sisters, all of us mortals come and go. Having had our day in the sun, night falls upon us and we go to our rest. The secrets in our hearts – our fleeting hopes and fears, our private sins and penances, all of our unspoken thoughts good and bad – die with us. No one will ever know our most private burdens and joys. Who can know what has been in the heart of any mortal once they have passed?

But during the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we meditate upon the mysteries within the heart of the mother of God. What must it have been like for Mary? What were her innermost thoughts, considerations, joys and sorrows? Surely her heart ached under the push and pull of emotional extremes. We can only imagine the awe and fear of being visited by an angel, or the simultaneous joy and burden of being the choice vessel of our Savior Jesus Christ.

We can only imagine what it might have been like watching her son transition into adulthood. Having raised her son from infancy – that is, having instructed and corrected him, having taught him all of the things mothers teach their sons, like how to be patient, to wait his turn, to be polite and use his manners, not to whine and complain, to share his toys with the other children and so on – what must it have been like for her to watch her son slowly transform into the greatest teacher the world had ever known or ever would know? Which of us has the character of the mother of God, who had the humility to accept the teaching of the son she once taught?

Imagine how her heart swelled with faith, joy, and pride as her son performed incredible miracles; then imagine her crushing sadness when witnessing his abandonment, persecution, and torture on a cross. Her heart experienced the crushing agony of receiving the broken, lifeless body of her son as it was lowered from the cross; then, just few days later, her heart must have been swollen to bursting with the unimaginable bliss of seeing him rise from the dead.

No mortal heart has ever suffered the emotional extremes endured by the mother of God. Let us take the day, my friends, to pause and reflect. Let us step into the heart of our mother Mary and walk with her in her great joys and in her great sorrows.