7 Sweeps, a CNL, 3 Rules of 3, and the Miraculous Ordinary: Mettle Maker #401 and Holy Eucharist for 4/13/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Announcements!

You may have noticed some changes. First, Heritage Self-Defense is now Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble. We feel like this more accurately reflects what we do. Second, our Sunday worship Service is now called Holy Eucharist instead of Holy Communion. Why? Because back when Fr. Mitch was a deacon, he was only able to present Holy Communion of the Reserved Sacrament (using pre-consecrated hosts provided by his bishop). But now that he’s been elevated to the priesthood, Fr. Mitch is able to perform a more traditional Holy Eucharist service.

Apologies from Fr. Mitch for the livestream crash of Holy Eucharist last week morning — technical difficulties — we’ll do better going forward.

Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble: Another expansion of your “get on top IQ.” Yeah, I know, learning sweeps isn’t exactly a giant sizzling steak on the martial arts menu. But you need to be an expert at getting off the bottom. In self-defense, when you are on the ground you lose maneuverability, visibility, ability. That is, you can’t run, gravity augments your attacker’s strength and weakens yours, and you can’t turn your head and see 360 degrees. Practice these 7 moves solo and with a partner until you have them down pat. Looking for a 100% free mind-body-spirit martial arts program? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program!

Heritage Fitness: Constitutionals — we’ve been doing them since 2009, 15 years strong, and they’re still the twice/week prescription for foundational fitness. Twice a week, come hell or high water, knock out a constitutional (“CNL”). You won’t regret it — I promise. What’s a CNL? 7 calisthenics, 25 reps each, back to back, with as little rest as possible, with a target time of <20 mins. This week’s CNL is a modified version of Mark Hatmaker’s original Gladiator, a warrior fitness program that Mark no longer advocates (and neither do I). Mark and I have both gone 100% “old-school,” accentuating quality over quantity (that is, form and pace over repetitions).

Pace: Positive/concentric movement (against gravity) = 1 second, negative/eccentric phase = 3 to 4 secs, total rep time = 4 - 5 secs.

Reps: 25 of each

The Modified Gladiator

Push-up (w/ Up and Down Dog)

Hindu Squat

Back Bridge

Crunch

Pull-ups

Stick Rotations

Jump Squats

Don’t know these exercises? Ask me in the comments and I’ll shoot a video.

Want more old-school training tips, or a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Shelter

Fire

Water

Food

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: The Three Rules of Three.

You can survive:

• 3 hours in extreme temperatures

• 3 days without water

• 3 weeks without food

Toward that end, if you find yourself stuck in a survival situation,

1. Secure shelter first. Protect yourself against a sinking boat, deflating raft, falling or rising temperatures, incoming tides, approaching wildfires or storms, and so on.

2. Get a fire going. If temps are going to be low enough to threaten hypothermia, fire is part of the shelter equation (temps as high as 50F can cause hypothermia if your clothes are wet). Plus, you’re going to need fire in order to boil water for drinking and to signal for help. Gather what you need to start, build, and maintain a fire. Bank coals and use caution — burning down your shelter or starting a forest fire will seriously hurt your survival chances.

3. Find water. After you get your shelter and fire tucked in, then begin to find and secure a water source.

4. Find food. Only after you have secured and water should you begin searching for food.

Interested in a free outdoor skill training program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Eucharist is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy Eucharist, CLICK HERE.

Homily for Sunday, 4/13/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19, Ps 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9, 1 Jn 2:1-5a, Lk 24:35-48

Luke 24:35-48 World English Bible Catholic Edition

They related the things that happened along the way, and how he was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

36 As they said these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

37 But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39  See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they still didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

42 They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 He took them, and ate in front of them. 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms concerning me must be fulfilled.”

45 Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures. 46 He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47  and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48  You are witnesses of these things.

The ancient stories of the Greeks, Romans, and Vikings, the sacred tales of India and China, and all of the pre-Christian religions, contain magic weapons, transformations from human to animal and from animal to human, gods with animal heads and multiple arms, elves, fairies, and so on.  Their stories explain how the everyday world emerged out of magical powers and events.

The Bible stories are the opposite.  In our religion, miraculous things mostly look like ordinary things.  The sacred emerges out of the mundane in the same way that a seedling emerges from the soil, or rain falls from a cloud – naturally. 

In the stale and dusty myths of the pagan religions, the world used to be magical but has somehow become tired, boring, and very unmagical.  In the Christian version of history, with the birth of Jesus, the miraculous emerges into and out of the ordinary filling all of heaven and earth with enchantment and glory.   

Look here – there are a million bushes in the desert, each one indistinguishable from the next.  But one of these ordinary bushes is engulfed in a strange fire which does not burn it up; and out of it God's voice calls forth to Moses and explains the destiny of God's chosen people.  The instrument of baptism which welcomes new believers into the company of the faithful is just ordinary water.  David slays Goliath with a common, everyday rock.  Samson's superhuman strength is bestowed not by magic, but by keeping a sacred vow to abstain from drinking alcohol and cutting his hair.  At the wedding in Cana, Jesus turns ordinary water into ordinary wine. 

This theme continues when the risen Son of God appears alive, yet tethered to reality by his wounds; inside a locked room, but yet very solid; immortal, but hungry for a bite of food. And on the road to Emmaus, he travels unrecognized, only appearing within the most mundane of activities -- during a simple meal of bread and wine. God is revealed to us through the everyday.  The bread and wine on the altar may be indistinguishable from any other bread and wine, and the words of the priest and congregation may not have any visible affect upon them.  But the ordinary-seeming bread and wine are most assuredly the miraculous Body and Blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  

Announcements! Mettle Maker #400 and Holy Eucharist for Divine Mercy Sunday 4/7/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Announcements!

You may have noticed some name changes. First, Heritage Self-Defense is now Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble. We feel like this more accurately reflects what we do. Second, our Sunday worship Service is now called Holy Eucharist instead of Holy Communion. Why? Because back when Fr. Mitch was a deacon, he was only able to present Holy Communion of the Reserved Sacrament (using pre-consecrated hosts provided by his bishop). But now that he’s been elevated to the priesthood, Fr. Mitch is able to perform a more traditional Holy Eucharist service.

Apologies from Fr. Mitch for the livestream crash of Holy Eucharist this morning — technical difficulties — we’ll do better next Sunday.

Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble: There’s no such thing as advanced martial arts techniques. Advanced martial arts techniques are basic martial arts techniques done flawlessly. And that takes practice. See the video on the left for a constitutional that will build and preserve foundational skills — video premieres tomorrow at 4:45 PM. Looking for a 100% free mind-body-spirit martial arts program? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program!

Heritage Fitness: Light dumbbells for shoulder health. When injured or in pain, always seek the advice of a qualified health professional. But if you’re just starting to get a twinge in your shoulders, and you’d like to reign it in before it gets out of hand, check out the dumbbell exercises in the video on the right. Want more old-school training tips, or a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: You don’t have to aspire to being the next Les Stroud, Creek Stewart, or Tim MacWelch. I mean, you can if you want to, of course. But the goal of Heritage Wildwood is to get you comfortable outdoors in any weather, to help you develop a deep appreciation for outdoor life, and instill in your good basic survival skills. One way to do that is to go camping — lots. Not every trip needs to be a Bear Grylls drama-palooza. This past weekend I camped at Occoneechee State Park (see video above). No, I didn’t go primitive camping in some backwoods location. But I still learned a lot about fishing and tides from my camping buddy. Every minute outdoors with your eyes and ears open is a learning opportunity. Go out there and , have a good time, and never miss an opportunity to learn. Interested in a free outdoor skill training program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Eucharist is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy Eucharist, CLICK HERE.

Homily for Divine Mercy Sunday, 4/7/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Acts 4:32-35, Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24, 1 Jn 5:1-6, Jn 20:19-31

John 20: 19-31 World English Bible Catholic Edition

When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! 23  If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus,§ wasn’t with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 After eight days, again his disciples were inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me,† you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

30 Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Today's gospel reading it's often referred to as the basis of the sacrament of confession. The church has long believed that confession and forgiveness are central to the faith. As we see in the interlude concerning the doubts of Thomas, confession seems to be somehow related to belief. But how?

Perhaps the continuity would be more clear if we looked at it this way: if you are Thomas and you don't believe, then you're not bound by Christ's commandments. That is to say, if you have not accepted the yoke of Christ, which is to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself, then no matter how much you sin, in your mind at least, you have no sin.  If you don’t believe Jesus has risen, he just another teacher, no better and no worse than any other.  You cannot be faulted by anyone, and certainly not by yourself, for straying from his path.

But as soon you accept the reality of the risen Christ, your sin emerges. Because although his joke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30), that is to say, his yoke is simple and uncomplicated, it is extremely difficult to put God and our neighbor's needs before our own. We are going to fail often, and the weight of failure and transgression can be unbearably heavy. 

As someone who has spent long hours and sleepless nights replaying again and again many decades of mistakes, errors, sins, and transgressions, I can testify that it can be very hard to discern when and if it's okay to lay down one’s guilt and move on. We may know that Jesus Christ loves us so much that he suffered for us death on a cross. We may know that he is just and forgiving beyond measure. But have we been truly contrite? Have we made adequate restitution? If someone we have wronged doesn't accept our apology, what does that mean?  You may be left saying to yourself, “Have I been forgiven or not?”

Jesus is presenting to us a way to be freed from the crushing debt of sin. He is telling us that we can trust our priests and bishops to hear our confessions and give rest to our souls. 

As C. S. Lewis said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." At Easter he conquered death and showed us the way toward eternal life. Today, on the Sunday of Divine Mercy, he shows us his heart and delivers us from the bondage of sin.

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† 20:29 TR adds “Thomas,”

Mettle Maker #399 and Holy Communion for Easter Sunday 3/31/24

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Mettle Maker #399

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: There’s no such thing as advanced martial arts techniques. Advanced martial arts techniques are basic martial arts techniques done flawlessly. And that takes practice. See the video on the left for a constitutional that will build and preserve foundational skills — video premieres tomorrow at 4:45 PM. Looking for a 100% free mind-body-spirit martial arts program? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program!

Heritage Fitness: Shoulders, knees, and lower back are the three most common trouble spots for aches and pains. When injured or in pain, always seek the advice of a qualified health professional. But if you’re just starting to get a twinge, and you’d like to reign it in before it gets out of hand, check out the home remedy exercises in the the video on the left. Want more old-school training tips, or a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: A huge part of learning outdoor skills generally — and Heritage Wildwood in particular — is developing independence and self-reliance. Last week I sent with friends to attend the 249th re-enactment of Patrick Henry’s famous “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!” speech. Talk about independence and self-reliance! Be bold. Be brave. Take control of your life and destiny, and sign up for our free adult outdoor skills program! Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for Easter Sunday, 3/31/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Acts 10:34a, 37-43, Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23, Col 3:1-4, Victimae paschali laudes, Jn 20:1-9

John 20:1-9 (World English Bible, Catholic Edition)

1 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!”

3 Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. 4 They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he didn’t enter in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, 7 and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

If we sacrifice some luxuries today in order to put some money into savings, we may have enough resources to experience a rebirth in our retirement.  If we put in a little extra effort at work, we could breathe new life into our careers, or perhaps save a dying business.  Recognizing the power of sacrifice and rebirth can have a profound effect on the health of our economic affairs. 

And what about your personal health?  If you sacrifice junk food, excessive fried foods, rich sweets, and delicious treats, and you could create for yourself a whole new you, couldn’t you?  Sacrificing what we want revitalizes relationships too.  What if you went on a road trip with a friend or a spouse.  And, instead of being in the driver’s seat, you handed her the keys.  What if you only ate at the restaurants where she likes to eat and only stopped at the roadside attractions that interest him?  What if you let the other person control the radio station or the music rotation?  Isn’t it possible the two of you could turn a new page?  Yes, seeing the power of sacrifice and rebirth can also bring dying relationships back from the dead.

Imagine, if you will, what would happen if our politicians embraced sacrifice and rebirth in how they governed.  What would happen if, instead of focusing on “getting’-while-the-getting’s-good” they embraced self-sacrifice?  What if we, as citizens, did the same?  Might it be possible for us to save our nation from bitterness and polarization?  Yes, it’s also true in the political realm: sacrifice contains within itself the power to mend and to save.

The reason why sacrifice and has such a marvelous restorative power is that it is the axis around which the universe turns.  What is true economically, physically, personally, and politically, is true because beneath all of existence there is a metaphysical truth that is truer than them all.  And this metaphysical truth underpins all of reality.

Just as a volcano throws up dust and fire into the stratosphere, Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection sends up great saints, martyrs, and heroes to remake the world.  Just as the plates of the earth’s crust smash together across eons to create great mountain ranges and impossible peaks, Christ’s sacrifice and rebirth inspires charities, organizations, and groups that revive neighborhoods and nations.

But you must see that, although majestic and beautiful as that may be, that’s just the tip of the mountaintop peaking through the dim fog.  Beneath all the truths laid out before you, there is a deeper and more foundational truth.  What our glorious God planned from the foundations of the world is fulfilled in the sacrifice and resurrection of his Blessed Son.  What was cast down is raised up, what had become old is made new, and all things are restored to integrity through Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Mettle Maker #398 and Holy Communion for 3/24/24

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Mettle Maker #398

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: The Hook Mettle Drill. In Heritage Self-Defense we learn martial sequences called mettle drills. They’re rather like the kata or forms that are seen in traditional martial arts, except they’re more like flow drills, and they’re usually done with a partner. Here is the blue bandana mettle drill known as…

The Hook Mettle Drill

1. Scarf Hold (he crams face)

2. Leg-only Top Wrist Lock (he tries to roll)

3. Chest Pressure (keeps rolling, you roll over)

4. Top Wrist Lock (he uses catch grip, you apply elbow to clavicle)

5. Double Wrist Lock (he grabs pants)

6. Short Arm Scissors (he doesn’t tap)

7. Shark Fin (he doesn’t tap)

8. Figure -4 Neck Breaker (he doesn’t tap)

9. Arm Bar (he doesn’t tap)

10. Short Arm Scissors (end of drill)

Do you know all of these moves and counters? Sounds like you could stand to take a martial arts class. And, as luck would have it, we offer a 100% free mind-body-spirit martial arts program! Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program!

Heritage Fitness: Shoulders, knees, and lower back are the three most common trouble spots for aches and pains. When injured or in pain, always seek the advice of a qualified health professional. But if you’re just starting to get a twinge, and you’d like to reign it in before it gets out of hand, check out the home remedy exercises in the the video on the left. Want more old-school training tips, or a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: How do you age tracks and sign? A video will be released on the YouTube channel on Monday at 5 PM. But the reality is, this isn’t something you can learn particularly well from a blog post or a video.

The best thing you can do for yourself is actually go out there and put your eyeballs on some tracks and sign. Make some tracks, and follow them home. Maybe that’s later the same day, the next day, or a couple of days later. How have they changed? How do rain, sun, and wind change the game?

You don’t need to be in an undeveloped area – you can practice in the heart of the city or out in the suburban wilds. Just make some tracks and snap some twigs in your back yard, in a turfed median strip, or in a corner of the local park where nobody walks. Check on them a couple of times a day for a week or so and see how they change.

Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for Palm Sunday, 3/24/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Mk 11:1-10, Is 50:4-7, Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24, Phil 2:6-11, Mk 14:1—15:47

Mark 11:1-10 (World English Bible, Catholic Edition)

1 When they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethsphage† and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go your way into the village that is opposite you. Immediately as you enter into it, you will find a young donkey§ tied, on which no one has sat. Untie him and bring him. 3  If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs him;’ and immediately he will send him back here.”

4 They went away, and found a young donkey tied at the door outside in the open street, and they untied him. 5 Some of those who stood there asked them, “What are you doing, untying the young donkey?” 6 They said to them just as Jesus had said, and they let them go.

7 They brought the young donkey to Jesus and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it. 8 Many spread their garments on the way, and others were cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Those who went in front and those who followed cried out, “Hosanna!‡ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!* 10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

During the procession of the palms today, we read the story of Jesus’ entry in Jerusalem as related in the Gospel of Mark.  Jesus gives the disciples instructions as to how they will find a young donkey for him to ride into the city, and the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 is fulfilled: “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”  Brothers and sisters, our Savior Jesus Christ went to some lengths to ensure that this prophecy was fulfilled for us.  This Palm Sunday, let’s give him a moment to meditate upon this.   

According to St. Ambrose, the donkey “on which no one has sat” is a reference to Gentiles who have never been yoked to the God of Abraham.¹  Like the ass’s colt, they are literally outsiders.  The animal is in a village a short distance from Jerusalem, outside the gate, tethered in the street and awaiting the arrival of Jesus’ disciples to lead him into the city.  The Gentiles are outside the ethnic and religious circle of the Hebrews, outside the gate of salvation, and waiting to be led inside by the apostles.

Perhaps we might read this even more broadly than St. Ambrose suggests, and allow the young donkey to stand in for all of us.  Aren’t we all standing alone and unguarded in the open street?  Are we not surrounded on every side by the distracting hubbub of everyday life, by jobs, bills, broken down cars, homework, and chores?  Like the little donkey, don’t we watch the traffic passing by – the endless parade of YouTube videos, cable television, reality shows, and podcasts?  Doesn’t an endless parade of disordered ideas, bizarre beliefs, chaotic attitudes, and misleading perceptions march by us all day long?  At least the donkey watched an actual parade of people go by – merchants and vendors, cops and criminals, priests, politicians, and paupers, the good the bad and the ugly.  At least the donkey looked at real people and events rather than fake news and screens.  At least the donkey observed the real world rather than a virtual one.  Regardless, here we stand, very much like that donkey, tethered in the open street, ripe for the taking.  Will we be led astray by the culture?  Or will we be taken up by the disciples of Jesus?

The Gospel says, “They brought the young donkey to Jesus and threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it.”  Remember now, the passage says this is a donkey upon whom no one has sat.  This is a wild donkey.  And this donkey calmly submits.  Are we going to submit, or are we going to resist?  Are we going to tame our wild nature and put on the baptismal garments?  Are we going to allow ourselves to be draped in the garments of baptism and wrapped up in the Gospel?  Or are we going to buck and thrash, bray and bolt?

 This world, if we allow it to, will leave us tethered by the cords of sin and death, alone in the street and at the mercy of the crowd.  Let us pray that we can be docile and led to Jesus.  For his yoke is easy and his burden is light, and we will be led to salvation.

§  Some translations read “colt”

† 11:1 TR & NU read “Bethphage” instead of “Bethsphage”

‡ 11:9 “Hosanna” means “save us” or “help us, we pray”

* 11:9 Psalms 118:25-26

¹ “Homily by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Book IX, from Sundays and Festivals with the Fathers of the Church, D.G. Herbert, translator (1901) accessed at https://archive.org/details/sundaysandfestiv00hubeuoft/mode/2up

Seeds, Songs, and Signs: Mettle Maker #397 and Holy Communion for 3/17/24

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Mettle Maker #397

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: What do nature appreciation skills have to do with self-defense? Your self-defense techniques are of zero value if you have no idea what’s going on in the world around you. Surprise is the evildoer’s best and most effective tactic. How can you defend yourself if you’re always wandering around unaware?

Last week I put up a bird call video on YouTube (see right).  It has one lousy view. I'm pretty sure people think, "Bird calls?  So lame!" But paying attention to the world around you is a habit, a skill, and a healthy way of life in more ways than one. Learning some bird calls is a great way to start listening.

All day long people hear-hear-hear but never listen. Imagine if all day, every day, you listened to no one.  You ignored your coworkers, paid no attention to your family, and pretended as though your neighbors didn't exist. How strong would your relationships be? How healthy would you be?  How happy?  How well-liked?

The birds are singing to you, the trees are waving to you, the winds are caressing you, and the stream is calling you to come and play. Don’t be a callous outcast, a hard-hearted loner, a self-absorbed recluse. Be a part of the community of all living things.  Join into relationship with the universe and seek wholeness in body, mind, and spirit. 

Interested in a 100% free mind-body-spirit martial arts program? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program!

Heritage Fitness: What’s the perfect set/rep scheme for weightlifting? This is one of the secrets of the old-timers, and modern science is increasingly aligning with this, and other aspects, of old-school training. Before I give you the answer, let’s look at what "old-school" means in terms of weightlifting?

1. Reduced intensity. No training to failure (stop on the rep before failure). You're training with too much intensity if you need rest days and/or split days like Chest Day, Leg Day, etc, if you have to grunt or yell to get through a set, if you get really sore after training sessions, if you need ice or Advil.

2. Time under tension matters. Slow the pace of your lifts such that you push fast and return slow. To be more clear, the concentric phase is the pushing part of the movement during which the muscle shortens. The eccentric phase is return of the weight back to starting position, during which the muscle is generally lengthened. The isometric phases are points where the load is held stationary between the transitions from concentric to eccentric, or from eccentric to concentric. Old-school thought was approximately a 1-sec concentric phase, a ..5-sec. isometric phase, a 3-sec eccentric phase, and a .5-sec isometric phase for a 5-second rep.

3. Train your whole body every time you train. See #1 above. Entire sessions on a single zone or body part always results in a level of intensity that’s not old-school.

4. No junk volume. Be stingy with exercises and reps - less is more. Only 1 exercise per body part and about 7 exercises per session.

5. Don’t pick it up if you can’t put it down. No old-timer ever dropped a weight on purpose. You’re cheating yourself out of the eccentric phase of the exercise!

What’s the perfect set/rep scheme? Well, you can build muscle volume and strength with almost any scheme, from one set of 25 to 3 sets of 3. The problem is that the lower the reps the higher the weight, and the more likely the injury. And the higher the reps, the higher the wear and tear on the joints and harder it gets to keep the intensity in the sweet spot. The ideal set/rep scheme — the one that sits at the intersection of results, ease of use, and results — seems to be 3 sets of 12 reps with at the old-school cadence of 4 - 6 seconds per rep as outlined above (1 second up and 3 to 4 seconds down). Essentially, each set of 12 must take a minimum of 48 seconds to complete, and the 12th rep should be 1 rep short of failure.

Weight is less important than pace. Adjust weight on sets 2 and 3 to get the 48-60 second pace and the 1 rep short of failure just right. The slower you go, the harder an exercise gets, and the less volume you can perform in the allotted training time. Do the math. This means you’ll experience less wear and tear because there’s less volume, less risk of injury because of lower weight and increased control, and more strength because the exercise is more difficult (the muscle is under stress for a longer period).

Want more old-school training tips, or a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: How do you age tracks and sign? A video will be released on the YouTube channel on Monday at 5 PM. But the reality is, this isn’t something you can learn particularly well from a blog post or a video.

The best thing you can do for yourself is actually go out there and put your eyeballs on some tracks and sign. Make some tracks, and follow them home. Maybe that’s later the same day, the next day, or a couple of days later. How have they changed? How do rain, sun, and wind change the game?

You don’t need to be in an undeveloped area – you can practice in the heart of the city or out in the suburban wilds. Just make some tracks and snap some twigs in your back yard, in a turfed median strip, or in a corner of the local park where nobody walks. Check on them a couple of times a day for a week or so and see how they change.

Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, 3/17/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Jer 31:31-34, Ps 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15, Heb 5:7-9, Jn 12:20-33

John 12:20-33

Now there were certain Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. 21 Therefore, these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Jesus.

23 Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24  Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25  He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 26  If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

27  “Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? But I came to this time for this cause. 28  Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

29 Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

30 Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes. 31  Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.

Modern people, just like the Greeks in today’s Gospel reading, ask to see Jesus.  We Christians seek him all over the place.  We search for him in the Bible.  We look for him in the church or in the cathedral.  We look for him in the liturgy, in missionary work, in singing.  We cry out to him in prayer. Even atheists profess to seek him, claiming that if they could see God, they’d believe. 

The problem is, of course, that Jesus is not in any of those places.  He cannot be captured in the Bible or any other book.  He cannot be held prisoner in a church or a cathedral.  Jesus is not a genie that can be summoned by rubbing a magic lamp; and so Jesus cannot be conjured up by singing, or praying.

Jesus cannot be found in the places that people most often look because he’s not an inanimate object that can be found, nor is he stationary enough to be located and photographed.  No, the creator of the universe is not in the universe.  The speaker of the words in the Bible is not in the Bible any more than George Orwell can be found within the pages of his book Nineteen Eighty-Four.  As the anonymous author of Liber XXIV Philosophorum wrote, “God is an infinite sphere whose center is everywhere and circumference nowhere."

So how can we find him and be with him?  In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus reveals the trailhead of the path.  He says, “Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.”  My friends, soon the Red Maple trees will drop their winged seeds.  They’ll be blowing and spinning by the millions, helicoptering far and wide, each one carrying within itself a mighty tree.  Inside the outer shell of the seed is tremendous potential, locked up and waiting to burst out.  And we are just the same.  We too must let go of our old selves and yield to our potential if we’re going to become something new and greater in and with Jesus.

  Jesus continues, “He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.” What does “loving this life” mean?  It means being selfish.  Loving ourselves and what we want more than we love others and what they need.  Seeking riches, success, fame, and power at the expense of others.  Obsessing about how we look rather than how we behave.  Focusing on our physical appearance, social standing, and outward virtue instead of on true intention.  Hoarding our time and attention away from obligations.  Trying to prove our courage, toughness, or skill instead putting our courage, toughness and skill to good use.  Averting our energy and attention from giving pleasure to others and directing it toward our own pleasures – the feel of fine clothing and sheets on our skin, delicious flavors on our tongues, delightful entertainment for our eyes, and so on. 

If we behave in this way, we are like seeds that hoard their potential, that never split, sprout and transform.  As the poet Tennyson said, “The shell must crack before the bird may fly.”

If you want to see God, this is the path. 

Mettle Maker #396 and Holy Communion for 3/10/24

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Mettle Maker #396

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: Scarf Hold or Side Headlock? There is a great deal of confusion on this point, and I admit I’ve contributed to it over the years by using the terms interchangeably. A Scarf Hold goes around the neck and holds the head in place. A Side Headlock is a lock. It hurts. It can can be a submission. Look on the right. You will notice that Robert has his arm around David’s head, not his neck, and his forearm is lined up along his jaw. He has not, however, fully applied it. How can you tell? By his hand position. What to know the secret? I guess you’d better join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program!

Heritage Fitness: Slow down! The slower you go, the harder an exercise gets, and the less volume you can perform in the allotted training time. Do the math. This means you’ll experience less wear and tear because there’s less volume, less risk of injury because of increased control, and more strength because the exercise is more difficult (the muscle is under stress for a longer period). Want more old-school training tips, or a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Learning birds and their calls isn’t an esoteric specialty reserved for birdwatchers and conservationists. It does several important things to those who undertake it:

• It builds the patience to watch and listen

• Deepens the your visual and sonic landscape

• Enriches your experience of nature

• Increases your sense of belonging and participation in life

• And it might save your life.

If you hear or see predatory birds, you know prey is nearby and you can hunt them too. If you learn to tell buzzards from eagles, you can find a carcass and, if necessary, salvage horns, hide, bones, teeth, and hooves for tools. You can follow herons to water., and so on. Learn some birds and their calls. You’ll be happier, have more fun outside, and be a more capable wilderness survivor. Click the photo above to see some of the bird observations and calls I’ve captured using Birdnet, a cell phone app provided courtesy of the Cornell Ornithology Lab.  Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, 3/10/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23, Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6, Eph 2:4-10, Jn 3:14-21

John 3:14-21

Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15  that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born§ Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17  For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18  He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God. 19  This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil. 20  For everyone who does evil hates the light and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. 21  But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”

The serpent staff is one of the world's most archaic and enduring symbols, dating back at least 6,000 years and still used today.  In Greco-Roman myths, Greek gods Hermes and Asclepius, and the Roman god Mercury, carried them.  Sometimes the rod had two snakes, sometimes just one.  Nowadays we see these symbols on ambulances, emergency hospital signs, pharmacies, first aid kits, and so on.

For pagans, all power comes from nature.  To them, these serpent staffs were markers of authority that allowed magic power to be drawn from the wellspring of nature.  Even their gods derived their powers from nature.  Ba'al was the god of storms, Amon the god of the sun, Molech the fiery god of sacrifice, and so on.  But for the Hebrews, all power comes from God, who created nature.  There is no magic beyond or above God.

So in today’s Gospel reading, when Jesus referenced Moses and the serpent on a pole which the Hebrews called Nehushtan, Nicodemus knew the story. 

8 The LORD said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake, and set it on a pole. It shall happen that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 Moses made a serpent of bronze, and set it on the pole. If a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked at the serpent of bronze, he lived. (Numbers 21:8-9)

Poor Nicodemus.  Certainly, he saw the resemblance between the Hebrew Nehushtan and the serpent rods of their neighboring cultures.  And of course he knew that their Hebrew version was something entirely new and improved.  But he could not have fully grasped the deep analogy Jesus was speaking to him.  We can, because we can read Jesus' words by the light of two thousand years of history and Christian teaching.  We can see the progression.

Pagans believed in many gods and magic serpent staffs.  But through Moses, God showed that there is no magic, only a deeper level of reality and relationship with him.  Nehushtan wasn’t mythical, make-believe, or magic in itself.  It was just an ordinary brass snake on a pole to remind them that if they turned to God in faith, as God commanded them, they wouldn’t die.  Nehushtan was just a sculpture, a focal point, a way of reminding the Hebrews to have faith in God’s healing power.  Nicodemus could’ve seen that.  He would’ve agreed that God, through Moses, clarified and corrected the pagan serpent pole motif, making it something entirely new.

What Nicodemus couldn’t see or know was that Jesus was going to take the symbol into himself and perfect it in the Cross.  Yes, Nehushtan stood for the power of faith.  But brass serpents don’t bleed.  Brass serpents don’t suffer.  And brass serpents are not the only Son of God. 

Like Nehushtan, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross doesn’t prevent us from experiencing the painful bites of life's hardships and sufferings.  But if we have faith in him, we can be protected not just from death by snakebite – but from the death itself – from the death that lasts forever.  And Jesus is not a solution for one people at one time in one place, a lesson to get the Hebrews through a test in the desert.  Jesus was going to be hoisted up on a cross for everyone to see so that they could all be healed by faith.¹

Poor confused, and yet blessed Nicodemus.  Imagine how he felt after the Passion and Resurrection, when he looked back on his conversation with Jesus and finally understood it fully.  And then imagine his joy when he realized that he had spoken with God’s only begotten son, come to earth in the flesh to be put on a cross and held aloft to save everyone, Jew and Gentile.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).

¹ Note also that Hebrew letters are also numbers, which means that all Hebrew words have numerical values.  Very strikingly, the words "serpent" (נחש) and "Messiah" (משיח) both have a numerical value of 358.

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*2:17 Psalms 69:9  

Mettle Maker #395 and Holy Communion for 3/3/24

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Mettle Maker #395

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: The Top Saddle escape series is complete! Do you have more than one method for escaping Top Saddle a.k.a. “mount?” You better! The most recent video is up (see right) and here are all the links:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/y5WJHn3whIk

Part 2: https://youtu.be/sHDr9n-hRKQ

Part 3: https://youtu.be/Gv6V2P7Rf_4

Part 4: https://youtu.be/zgYAzNPKUx8

Part 5: https://youtu.be/NF1Ayy35hZ0

But don’t just watch them — train them!

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness: Whole-body exercise par excellence: Bear Walks! The humble Bear Walk — simple, no equipment needed, as old as time — what’s not to love?

1. Works the entire body in unison

2. Requires unified coordination

3. Aerobically demanding

At least once per month, add a hundred yards of Bear Walks to a training session. Need a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

(Photo taken from Weapons and Implements of Savage Races (Australasia, Oceania, and Africa) by Montague, Leopold A. D (London, The Bazaar, Exchange & Mart" Office 1921)

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Throwing sticks for survival. If you’re in a survival situation you have to appreciate the simplicity and elegance of the throwing stick. It requires virtually zero skill to craft one — you might even be able to just pick one up off the ground. They are virtually unbreakable, and if you lose it you can find or fashion another easily. To be clear though, hunting small mammals with a throwing stick is even harder than it seems. Throwing sticks work best against flocks of birds and schools of fish (in shallow water of course). If the critters are on the move, direct a leading throw for the middle of the flock or school in the area they are about to be occupying, not where they are at the moment. When hunting stationary birds, aim at the area just above them, as the birds are likely to be spooked by your movement and/or the sound of the whooshing stick, and take flight. And by the way, you should also practice. Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent, 3/3/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Ex 20:1-17, Ps19:8, 9, 10, 11, 1 Cor 1:22-25, Jn 2:13-25

John 2:13-25

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 He found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, and the changers of money sitting. 15 He made a whip of cords and drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. 16 To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”*

18 The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 The Jews therefore said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple! Will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he spoke of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he did. 24 But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, 25 and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

Bible stories are very sparing with their words.  They expect us to fill in the blanks.  To have a sense of what is really happening in the cleansing of the temple, I want you to imagine going down to the local flea market, turning over the vendor’s tables, and ordering them all out.  What do you suppose would happen?  Would they all go?  Of course not.  A half dozen, belligerent and angry vendors would throw you out on your ear.  Some of them might even jab a pistol in your face.

Keeping in mind that people in Jesus’ time were far less soft and tame than modern folks, you can imagine that this event sparked far more than just spirited debate.  Jesus really started something here, an altercation bordering on a riot, so serious that the Gospel says they challenged him to produce a sign to justify his actions.  The situation was so serious that it was going to take a miracle to calm it down.  Based on his reply, they may even said something like, “Look here Jesus, you better give us a sign from heaven or we’re going to kill you.”  That would explain why he responds, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  It’s as if he’s saying, “Go ahead and kill me, and I’ll show you what happens.”

What point could Jesus find so vitally important that he’d brandish a whip or a coil of rope and start an aggressive confrontation?  St. Paul knew what it was, and he expresses his insight in our epistle reading today.  He says, “For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor 1:22-24).  Let’s not read this narrowly, as if it applies Jews and Greeks.  Jew and Greek represent ways of thinking, not ethnic groups.

Many people have a transactional way of thinking that resembles the Jews of Jesus’ day.  For them, relationship with God is a sacrifice-reward, pray-miracle kind of give-and-take.  This type of outlook is as common today as then.  It’s the basis of the so-called “prosperity gospel” in which people believe they can pray their way to material wealth or buy their way into heaven. And, on the other hand, there are always going to be folks who think the Greek way – those who want God’s ways to be man’s ways.  They want God to serve man rather than the reverse.  They demand logic, rationality, and common sense.  They deny God on scientific grounds, because of philosophical the Problem of Evil, or because miracles are silly.

But Jesus literally “turns the tables” on both of those viewpoints.  We can’t buy our way into the Kingdom of God with sacrifices, tithes, donations, prayers, or good works.  Nor can we think our way in, with logic, philosophy, or common sense.  Jesus chases out all of the old ideas about sacrificing oxen, sheep, and doves, and overturns the modern idols of rationalism and the worship of science.

Jesus bursts onto the scene and causes a huge uproar.  He goes to the brink of violence to proclaim something of vital importance – the thing nobody wants to hear – a stumbling block for all.  That the Son of God has come to earth to save us from sin and death.  That he died on a cross and rose from the dead.  And the only way the Kingdom of God is through him.

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*2:17 Psalms 69:9  

Saddles, Shanties, and Starting Your Day: Mettle Maker #394 and Holy Communion for 2/25/24

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Mettle Maker #394

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: The Top Saddle escape series continues! Do you have more than one method for escaping Top Saddle a.k.a. “mount?” You can’t make your attacker behave the way you’d prefer. Some guys ride high, some low, some posture up and strike, some choke, etc. So you need to have several methods that counter the specifics of how they’re riding. Watch the video above, and follow the whole series — when we’re done, there will be 10 techniques and 5 videos in all. But don’t just watch them — train them!

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness: Do you eat breakfast? What’s the goal? If you’re trying to watch your weight, the goal should be eat just enough nutritious food at breakfast to forestall hunger for 4 hours. 10 grams of fat are required to achieve that. Therefore, your breakfast must contain 10 to 12 grams of fat and be below the target calories. If your breakfast does not contain 10 grams of fat, you will be hungry again very quickly and be more likely to cheat on your diet plan. Here are some breakfast ideas with 10 grams of fat:

• One egg (boiled, poached, or cooked in a non-stick pan with cooking spray) and two slices of thin, pre-cooked bacon = 10 – 12 grams of fat.

• One scrambled egg with 2 tbsp of grated cheese = 10 grams of fat.

• A slice of whole wheat toast with 1 tbsp of butter or peanut butter = 10 grams of fat.

• I slice of whole wheat toast with ½ smashed avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and a splash of salsa = 10 grams of fat.

• ½ cup oatmeal with 1 tbsp of butter, 2 tbsp of raisins, and zero-calorie sweetener = 10 grams of fat.

Need a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

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Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Learn how to make a “bark shanty.” Check out this semi-permanent trapping shelter from Camp Life in the Woods by William Hamilton Gibson (1881) page 245. Sounds like a lot of work! But you be the judge. I’d much prefer a debris shelter. Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent, 2/25/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18, Ps 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19, Rom 8:31b-34, Mk 9:2-10

Mark 9:2-10

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them. 3 His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus.

5 Peter answered Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid.

7 A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

8 Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only.

9 As they were coming down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one what things they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the “rising from the dead” meant.

 Last week, we marveled at the very strange way in which Jesus retells the flood story from the book of Genesis by sending a new flood – a flood of Baptismal waters – that cleanses not by death and destruction, but rather by life and resurrection.  We saw how the first flood was sealed by a covenant rainbow, but the second was bound up in the promise of the cross.

The Gospels are filled with reverberations, recapitulations, and repeating patterns like this.  They echo and flow through the stories.  Like ripples in pond that reflect when they hit the rocky shore, Jesus steps into certain themes, and retells them.  Some he restates with words, others he reiterates with his actions, and some he fulfills in his person.

Today we hear, in our Old Testament reading, the story of Abraham offering the sacrifice of his son Isaac.  Immediately we see how Jesus steps into and retells this story in an impossible way.  Jesus is one with the God the Father, so he is Abraham.  Jesus is the Father’s only Son, so he is Isaac.  Jesus is the True Sacrifice, so he is the ram caught in the thicket, complete with the crown of thorns.  He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” who will “give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life.” (Rev 21:6).

And in our Gospel reading we see the glory that allows Jesus to say, do, and be capable of retelling and fulfilling these stories.  Jesus is a new Moses, glowing with the new way of seeing the law.  Jesus is a new Elijah who, like Elijah, knows the date of his death and will ascend into heaven.  But the fire of Christ will not come down like the fire that Eljah commanded to destroy his enemies in 2 Kings 1:10.  Jesus’ Pentecostal fire will come down to empower his disciples until he comes again.

The Old Testament stories are good.  But Jesus’ makes them great, relating them at a much higher, powerful, and more beautiful pitch.  Being made in God’s image, and following in the footsteps of Jesus, we can do what Jesus does in our own small way.  We too, in our human capacity, can step into our stories and live out their greater possibilities.  Lent is a time for reflection.  It’s the perfect time look at the positive stories in our lives, engage with them, and consider how we might live them in even greater truth and sincerity. 

Do you have a good marriage?  How about becoming such a great wife or husband that the fullest promise of your union might be realized, transforming it into an amazing and eternal love story? 

Are you a reliable worker with a steady paycheck?  Good.  But what if you went above and beyond?  Could you transform yourself into a dedicated worker with a remarkable and satisfying career? 

Do you have a few friends to spend time with?  That’s terrific.  But what if you became brothers and sisters with them?  What if you brought the lost sheep to the waters of baptism? 

Do you patiently and politely get along with your family members, neighbors, or coworkers?  Good.  But how might you step into those relationships and make them shine with glory like the sun?

Get Out, Flip Over, and Twitch-up: Mettle Maker #393 and Holy Communion for 2/18/24

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Mettle Maker #393

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: Do you have more than one method for escaping Top Saddle a.k.a. “mount?” You can’ make your attacker behave the way you’d prefer. Some guys ride high, some low, some posture up and strike, some choke, etc. So you need to have several methods that counter the specifics of how they’re riding. Watch the video above, and follow the whole series — when we’re done, there will be 10 techniques and 5 videos in all. But don’t just watch them — train them!

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness: Do you practice your proprioception and balance? Try Headstands. Proprioception is a fancy word for body awareness — specifically awareness of where your body is in space. Everybody has some degree of proprioception and balance. If not, you couldn’t walk around without falling down or pickup up a mug and take a sip of coffee. But if you want to be good at any sport, you’re going to need more than a merely functional level of proprioception and balance. And here’s another thing — proprioception and balance both fade with age. One of the ways I keep my proprioception and balance is by incorporating inversion work into my training, namely Headstands and Handstands. Start with Headstands. Work your way up until you can hold one for a full minute, and then do that every other day to build and maintain your proprioception and balance skills.

Need a free fitness coach to help develop an old-school fitness program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Learn how to make a “twitch-up.” One of the simplest survival traps you could ever learn to make is a “twitch-up.” See photo and details on the right, courtesy of Camp Life in the Woods by William Hamilton Gibson (1881) page 45. It’s possible that there’s a trap known to man that isn’t in his book, but I have no idea what it might be!

Note that when Gibson says, “arch” he means the bent sapling.

Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the First Sunday of Lent, 2/18/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Gn 9:8-15, Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 1 Pt 3:18-22, Mt 4:4b, Mk 1:12-15

Mark 1:12-15

Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.

14 Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

The symbols, ironies, and nuggets of wisdom in old myths and folktales are endlessly fascinating.  I always liked the story of King Midas who, granted a wish by the Greek god Dionysus, asks for his touch to turn anything into gold.  He becomes incredibly wealthy and loves his gift – until he accidentally touches his beloved daughter and kills her, and then starves to death because every morsel and sip turns to gold as soon as it touches his tongue. 

A fun story isn’t it?  Clever, entertaining, and with a great moral lesson about the dangers of greed.  At first glance, the story of Noah and the flood is another mythological tale, containing many moral lessons.  But taken in the greater context, and looked at through the lens of the Gospel, it’s much, much more than that.  Make no mistake: what we have in our readings today is of an entirely different character than a mere myth.  Brothers and sisters, this is no fairy tale.

In Noah’s story, water falls for 40 days and then recedes to reveal the dry land.  In the Gospel story from Mark, Christ the living water comes in baptism and then recedes for forty days into the desert, revealing the kingdom of God which Jesus proclaims is at hand.  It’s the opposite. 

In Genesis, we get a sign in the sky – a rainbow – that appears after the flood.  In the Gospel, a sign in the sky – a dove – comes before the flood of baptism.  The rainbow reveals a truth about the material world, namely that God will never again destroy it by water.  The dove, on the other hand, reveals a truth about the spiritual world – that God has sent his son to earth to save us.  Again, the Gospel story is the opposite.

In the flood story, God sent torrential rains to destroy the earth.  But in the Gospel. God sends us the waters of baptism to heal the earth and save us in heart, mind, and soul.  Again, we have the opposite. 

This is not a witty fable, a clever folktale, or an educational myth.  No, what we have here is something far more powerful, and something that is unique in recorded history.  It’s myth that is real.  The story of Noah might be mythological, but Jesus’ story is completely true.  Think about that.  Really stay with this, confront it, and experience it: Jesus came to earth and, through an outpouring of deeds, teachings, and words, lived out loud an undoing of the flood. 

Let this shock us out of our complacency.  Let it shake us up!  Let it rattle us!  Jesus dips his hand into an historical myth, pulls it into the present, and makes it real in his person.  How can we not stare and the page in complete wonder and then go reeling into the desert to follow in his footsteps this Lent.

Rock, Paper, Wrestler, Boxer: Mettle Maker #392 and Holy Communion for 2/11/24

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Mettle Maker #392

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

View fullsize

This is pretty close to my training allocation at present. What’s yours, and why?

Heritage Self-Defense: What’s your training time allocation? The amount of time you spend training on each of the various physical aspects of self-defense should be proportional to their relative effectiveness. So let’s stack up some data:

• 9 of 10 times, wrestler beats boxer. Don’t believe me? Read this great article by Mark Hatmaker.

• Wrestlers more easily adapt to weight differences. My comparative analysis of wrestling and boxing weight classes indicates that the average wrestling weight class is 9.5 pounds vs. 7.5 for boxing. Although counterintuitive, wrestling would therefore appear to be less sensitive to size and weight disparities — and that’s a great benefit in self-defense.

• Wrestling has produced more UFC champions than any other fighting discipline. Yes, even more than BJJ. If you compare grapplers vs. strikers, grapplers have held aloft far more UFC championship belts than strikers — by a 2-to-1 margin.

• Grappling skills take longer to instill than striking skills, so you better get started. Almost any untrained adult male can knock you out with a punch. But the same man would have a hard time figuring out how wrestle someone into to pin or tap. It takes just months to become a competent striker, but it takes years for a boxer to become a competent wrestler. There’s never been a walk-on wrestler who was a true competitor. But examples of natural born brawlers and pro boxers who didn’t start until their 20s abound (Marciano, Norton, Willard, Firpo, etc.). Many wrestlers have become devastating strikers — Urijah Faber, Frankie Edgar, Cain Velasquez, Dan Henderson, Johny Hendricks, etc. but the reverse is rare. The only example of a striker who became a formidable grappler who comes to mind is Georges St-Pierre.

• Wrestling builds greater and more complete strength and endurance than striking. I know this is contentious, and the debate rages on, but in my opinion wrestling is far more physically demanding and fitness rewarding than boxing. No boxing or striking coach ever got me close to throwing up. But a wrestling coach will hand you a bucket every time you show up (and the next day you will realize you have muscles and tendons you never knew you had). Strikers hit stuff. Wrestlers and grapplers lift, pull, explode, bridge, twist, squeeze, lug, spin, slam, and what-all.

• Weapons are fun and effective, but…are increasingly banned from public spaces. Unless you’re on a camping trip or you’ve survived TEOTWAKI, your self-defense training time might be better spent on empty hand techniques.

• American Rough and Tumble is the perfect mix of all these elements. It’s the most brutal and effective fighting art on the planet (this article puts Rough and Tumble at #3 behind Marine Corp LINE and IDF Krav Maga, but only because they are used in war). But don’t forget, LINE and Krav Maga don’t incorporate prevention, observation, awareness, and spiritual development — they key to avoiding as much trouble as possible.

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness: Are you using light dumbbells? I know I’ve talked about these before, but you need to develop some fitness intelligence about these things before you’re 50+ when you start to get tendonitis — everywhere. That’s what happens, by the way, when you hit your 50s. But light dumbbells are great for maintaining tendon health, and can help protect your shoulders and other joints. Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Refresh your first aid skills. I’m not a doctor, nurse, EMT or first responder. You need to read and study a good first aid manual, and refresh yourself often. The American Red Cross First Aid Manual is available free online (click this link to view, print, or save on your computer). And I recommend taking a first aid course as soon as you are able as well. In the meantime, here are the first aid bullet points when someone is hurt.

* Stay calm. You’re no good if you’re flustered.

* Assess danger. Ensure the area is safe for yourself and the injured person.

* Check for a response. Ask his or her name. Squeeze hands and shoulders.

* If non-responsive, call 9-1-1 if you can.

* Place victim on his or her side in Recovery Position, upper leg bent, lower leg straight (see picture below).

* Remember ABC -- Airway, Breathing and Circulation -- in that order.

* Establish open airways. Make sure nothing is stopping up nose or mouth. If so, clear them.

* Check breathing. Look and listen for 10 seconds. Administer the Heimlich maneuver to a choking adult. If an infant or toddler is choking, place them face down on a decline with head lower than feet and carefully pat them on the back.

* If person is not choking but breathing is still not normal, start CPR if you know how. If you don’t, learn.

* If breathing is OK, check for bleeding. Apply direct pressure to open wounds.

* Assess for signs of shock: weakness, rapid heart rate, fast breathing, sweating, and confusion. If you believe the person is going into shock, cover them with whatever you have to get them warm, and elevate feet about 12 inches. Keep them talking if they are conscious. Speak soothingly and keep them calm.

Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2/11/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Lv 13:1-2, 44-46, Ps 32:1-2, 5, 11, 1 Cor 10:31—11:1, Mk 1:40-45

Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”

41 Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42 When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean. 43 He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

45 But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.

When we are physically unwell, we go to the doctor.  The doctor gives us a treatment plan appropriate to the ailment.  That treatment plan may involve direct interventions, such as physical therapy, medication, surgery, and so on.  But often the doctor may direct us to avoid, alter, or stop certain behaviors that affect our health.  He may counsel us about smoking cessation, lack of exercise, overeating, overindulgence in alcohol, and so forth.  In other words, the doctor will sometimes politely point out that we are more than a little responsible for our own condition.

Being sick can be something that just happens to us, like a piano falling on our heads from a second story window.  But often we stand under the piano and swing it back and forth, confident that the rope will hold, and then wonder why we get crushed.

We can’t tempt fate and then blame something outside ourselves for our condition.  Nor can we just sit there and wait to get well.  We have to engage in our health journey.  Once we've admitted we're sick, we go to the doctor and ask for help.  Then we take the remedy and change the negative behaviors that contributed to getting sick in the first place.

Let us consider leprosy as a metaphor for a spiritual ailment.  Like the leper in our Old Testament reading, we should first be willing to admit we’re spiritually sick, and willing also to set ourselves apart so that we don’t infect others with our disordered attitudes, ideas, and behaviors.  But that will only get us so far.  Next we have to be like the leper in our Gospel reading.  We must to go to Jesus and beg for help.  Then we must try to be receptive to what he says and change our behaviors – we need to try, as hard as we can, to avoid, alter, or stop the negative behaviors that adversely affect our spiritual health.

Once we’ve gotten as healthy as we can get, we should endeavor to be nurses in God’s church, which is a hospital for sinners.  As St. Paul said, we need to be good caregivers, doing “everything for the glory of God,” not seeking our own benefit “but that of the many, that they may be saved.” (1 Cor 10:31 – 11:1).

Escapes, Bearhug Squats, Sensory Overload, and Patience: Mettle Maker #391 and Holy Communion for 2/4/24

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Mettle Maker #391

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: What’s your “get off the bottom” IQ? Self-defense doesn’t get much worse than it is when your attacker is in Top Saddle (a.k.a. “the Mount”). How many methods do you have to get out? One? Two? Three? Four or more? Well, if you’re serious about self-defense, I suggest having three — one for when the ride is low (near your hips), one when it’s a tad higher (up near your lower ribs), and one to use when his knees have reached your armpits (as bad as it gets!). And you should also have a few of variants of each that take into account what your attacker is up to — wrestling, restraining, or striking. Get your techniques together, put them into a logical, working chain, and drill them until the cows come home. Watch this space — a series of YouTube videos covering this topic is on the way!

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Bearhug Squats

Heritage Fitness: Are you doing your Bearhug Squats? The science is in — sandbag training works. Pick a weight appropriate to your size and fitness level. Most folks age 18 - 50 years of age of intermediate fitness level can manage about a third of their body weight at first. If you train old-school (without pain meds, creatine, and steroids, and with your goal being health, longevity, and functional fitness), put your arms around the bag, hug it to your chest, and start with 4 sets of 6 or maybe 3 sets of 8. Cap your total reps to around 25, and never push to the last rep. Stop at the next-to-last rep. Do them a couple of times a week. When you can get 2 sets of 12, add a little weight and start your progression over. Voila! If you don’t like and benefit from the Bear Hug Squat, I’ll eat my hat.

Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? Or maybe a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Some thoughts on sensory input. The human, having changed so little in the last hundred thousand years or so, is not accustomed to living in cities filled with so much input – industrial noise, cars, airplanes, and so forth – much less the modern distractions of video games, video streaming services, 24-hour news, cell phones, and so on. 

Consider the consequences of the change in our sensory input over what it once was. If you have not read John Ruskin’s The Opening of the Crystal Palace (1854) here is an excerpt with which you might begin such a consideration: 

“But it is one of the strange characters of the human mind, necessary indeed to its peace, but infinitely destructive of its power, that we never thoroughly feel the evils which are not actually set before our eyes. If, suddenly, in the midst of the enjoyments of the palate and lightnesses of heart of a London dinner-party, the walls of the chamber were parted, and through their gap, the nearest human beings who were famishing, and in misery, were borne into the midst of the company — feasting and fancy-free — if, pale with sickness, horrible in destitution, broken by despair, body by body, they were laid upon the soft carpet, one beside the chair of every guest, would only the crumbs of the dainties be cast to them — would only a passing glance, a passing thought be vouchsafed to them? Yet the actual facts, the real relations of each Dives and Lazarus, are not altered by the intervention of the house wall between the table and the sick-bed — by the few feet of ground (how few!) which are indeed all that separate the merriment from the misery.”

We are the same people we once were, evolved to live and respond to stimulus.  Our ancestors lived ten or more to a hut, responding to the needs of kin.  One of my four children lives in Japan, one in a different city, and other two across town.  A few hundred years ago, people of our station would’ve certainly lived in the same village, perhaps in the same home. Further examples of the differences in modern vs. ancient sensory input abound.

Is it possible that we’re so maladapted to the world we’ve created that we are effectively broken as a species? I’ll leave that to greater minds. At the every least, we should attempt to expose ourselves to the natural world and to stimuli asscicated with humanity — our kin, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2/4/24 – Father Mitch

 Readings: Jb 7:1-4, 6-7, Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23, Mk 1:29-39

Mark 1:29-39

Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her immediately,† and she served them.

32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons. 33 All the city was gathered together at the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there. 36 Simon and those who were with him searched for him. 37 They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38 He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” 39 He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

Taken together, our readings today are a meditation on patience. The word “patience” comes from the Latin patior, which means to suffer, endure, tolerate, or put up with something.

Job is the Old Testament paradigm of patience.  Repeated trials and tribulations assail and test him, and yet he is patient.  Can he rely upon his wife for support?  No. She encourages him to be impatient! She says to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Curse God, and die.”  But would impatience do Job any good at all? 

First let’s inquire as to what impatience is.  When you boil it down, isn’t it just refusing to tolerate difficulties, inconveniences, and problems?  Perhaps our focus has been interrupted, our precious plans have been disrupted, or our desires have been obstructed.  Isn’t impatience just a childish tantrum because things aren’t going our way?  Like the character Veruca Salt from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, we want it now.  But does all our impotent impatience solve anything?  Does it influence God’s plan in any way at all?  Does it do anything other than let off a little steam?  Of course not.  Impatience is an impotent emotion that not only screws up our faces, makes us say rude things, and contorts our spirit.  Impatience profits no one.

Look at old Job.  Despite his wife’s ugly remarks, and despite the fact that his three best friends tell him that he’s to blame for his own torment, he is patient.  He never curses God or renounces his faith.  And as a result, when all is said and done, God restores Job to health and multiplies his blessings two-fold. 

In our reading from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul explains how he is patient with his listeners and careful in tailoring his message to suit their needs rather than his own.  St. Paul must’ve been almost constantly tempted toward impatience.  Imagine how many times he was repeatedly asked the same tireless questions by members of the young church.  Imagine how many times he was harassed by soldiers, pestered by rabbis, confronted by scribes and Pharisees.  But being wise, he knew that impatience wins no one over – only patience and humility can do that.  By making himself small rather than proud, and by submitting himself to the Lord and his Gospel message, St. Paul, like Job, receives for his investment far more than he invests.

And finally we see in our Gospel reading from Mark the incredible patience of Jesus.  The essence of his personal character is patience.  Jesus is patient with those who persecute him, patient in his dealings with the scribes and the Pharisees, patient with sinners, patient with the suffering multitudes who followed him everywhere begging to be healed, and even patient with his apostles who are confused about his teachings, sell him for silver, and deny him three times.  He is patient even unto the cross! 

I have often heard the old adage, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  I would venture to say that, “Patience is next to godliness” might be the better refrain.  The more patient we become, the closer we get to the Lord. 

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†1:31 NU omits “immediately”.

Mettle Maker #390 and Holy Communion for 1/28/24

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Mettle Maker #390

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: What’s your “get off the bottom” IQ? Self-defense doesn’t get much worse than it is when your attacker is in Top Saddle (a.k.a. “the Mount”). How many methods do you have to get out? One? Two? Three? Four or more? Well, if you’re serious about self-defense, I suggest having three — one for when the ride is low (near your hips), one when it’s a tad higher (up near your lower ribs), and one to use when his knees have reached your armpits (as bad as it gets!). And you should also have a few of variants of each that take into account what your attacker is up to — wrestling, restraining, or striking. Get your techniques together, put them into a logical, working chain, and drill them until the cows come home. Watch this space — a series of YouTube videos covering this topic is on the way!

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness: Getting 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day? You should! I’m always looking to get 5 or more servings of fruits and veggies into my diet every day. The problem is, as I get older, raw veggies are increasingly hard to digest, and will give me heart burn. And, on top of that, my metabolism has slowed and I’ve had to to cut my caloric intake a bit. Here’s a great little low calorie delicious dessert that seems decadent but is actually super low calorie and full of fruits and veggies.

Cherries Waldorf

Somehow refreshing, satisfying, and filling, this dessert hits all of the buttons, even your satisfying your sweet tooth!

Ingredients:

1 small package Sugar Free Cherry or Raspberry Gelatin (.44 oz.)

1 cup of finely chopped celery

1 medium apple, cored and cut in small cubes

1 cup of grapes or pitted cherries, halved

Low-fat whipped cream (optional)

Make flavored gelatin per package directions and place in fridge to chill. Wait about 45 mins or until gelatin is partially thickened. Add celery, apples, and cherries/grapes. If the gelatin is too thick for the goodies to sink, push them down with the flat of a serving spoon. Serve with a dollop of whip cream. Makes 4 servings about 100 calories each.

Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? Or maybe a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Check out Les Stroud’s Wild Harvest — it’s my new favorite TV show! For the most part, television is a waste of time. I only watch TV when I’m too tired to do anything else, or if I want to entertain and/or educate myself while conditioning my shins or giving my wife a head or back rub. But there are a few TV shows that, in addition to being educational, are surpassingly beautiful and artistic. One of them is Les Stroud’s Wild Harvest. Survivorman Les Stroud gathers wild edibles and Chef Paul Rogalski prepares incredible culinary masterpieces around them. For me this is about as great as TV gets. Many episodes are available on YouTube — check out Episode 1 on the right.

Looking for a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 1/28/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Dt 18:15-20, Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9, 1 Cor 7:32-35, Mk 1:21-28

Mark 1:21-28 World English Bible Catholic Edition

They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24 saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!”

25 Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”

26 The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” 28 The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

Forty years ago an old mentor of mine, Bob Burke, taught me something I’ve never forgotten.  He said, “Mitch, if you change someone’s perspective, you change how they think, act, feel, and believe.”  Bob was and is completely correct.  Remember that, brothers and sisters.  One more time: “If you change someone’s perspective, you change how they think, act, feel, and believe.”

Bob’s still around, by the way, north of 80 years old and long retired.  And if you called him up and asked him for business management advice, he would probably start with that nugget, specifically as it relates to negotiation.  Think about it: everything is a kind of negotiation.  Every sales transaction and every business deal is a negotiation.  One person, or one side, wants the other side to buy, sell, trade, agree and the other person or side doesn’t.  Fortunately, however, sides who are at cross purposes always agree more than they realize.  Typically, some circumstance has heightened tensions and/or shifted focus onto points of contention and disagreement.  The people at the table have lost sight of their shared goals and overlapping needs.  They have ceased to see the forest for the trees. 

What Jesus is doing in the synagogue in our reading today is causing a radical shift in perspective.  At that time, the method of teaching and preaching was to quote the law and prophets.  Everything was an appeal to what the God and his prophets said in the past.  Can you imagine how much people must’ve quoted scripture and argued about Judaism’s 613 laws?  But Jesus walks in and shifts everyone’s perspective.  He makes the written law relatable through fresh interpretations and moves discussion from the past into the present.  As Christians, this is normal for us.  Jesus’ perspective shift has become more or less permanent in us. We don’t know any different.  But at that time it was a bombshell.

And we must not take it for granted.  You see, every decision, from a corporate policy ruling all the way down to just an individual trying to decide on where to go for lunch, is a kind of negotiation.  Opposing viewpoints must be weighed and choices made.  Do we want to do business with an eye on profit, or on environmental sustainability?  Do I want to eat healthy, or do I want to pig out on the delicious, unhealthy choice?  How do we decide?  We can focus on shared goals.  We choose a lunch that’s healthy and delicious!  It’s possible to run a business that makes a profit and operates in a sustainable manner. 

And that’s what Jesus is doing with God’s message.  He says we can do both.  We can look to the laws and wisdom of the past and follow it, rely upon it, and appeal to it.  He does that often in the Gospels.  But he’s adding a new dimension.  Jesus is stepping into the synagogue and pointing to the transcendent truths above, within, and underlying the law.  He’s changing everyone’s perspective.  And, in doing so, he’s changing how they think, act, feel, and believe. 

Jesus’ new perspective chases away narrow-minded viewpoints, drives out pettiness, banishes the trivial and the insignificant, and reminds us of the ultimate goal. And it is so powerful that it can literally cast out demons!

Mettle Maker #389 and Holy Communion for 1/21/24

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Mettle Maker #389

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: Work Hatmaker’s silver dollar test. Your weapon is no good if you can’t get it into play quickly with no telegraphing. Use Mark Hatmaker’s sliver dollar test and drill to get fast and test your speed. Works with any weapon! Put a silver dollar on the back of your hand at arm’s length. Now strike the target — heavy bag or war post — before the silver dollar touches the ground. So simple, and yet so effective.

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

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Heritage Fitness and Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Fancy equipment? Who needs it! Too often we focus on the quality of our equipment. We don’t even consider doing an exercise routine, or going on a hiking, fishing, climbing, or camping trip until we have the perfect reel, pack, shoes, boat, or what-have-you.

Pollywogs and tater tots.

Take a look at the kinds of equipment people were using in the 19th and early 20th centuries (see gallery above/right). Check out especially the stalwart fellow with a skin covered canoe or coracle on his back while fishing. That guy really wants to go fish.

Maybe, if you’re obsessing about having perfect equipment, you really just don’t want to fish all that bad.

Do a little soul searching in that regard. Maybe there’s something that, in your heart of hearts, you really do want to do. Whatever that is, go out and do it.

Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? Or maybe a free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up for one of our free programs!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, 1/21/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Jon 3:1-5, 10, Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 1 Cor 7:29-31, Mk 1:14-20

Jonah 3:1-5

1 The LORD’s word came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.”

3 So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s word. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey across. 4 Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “In forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”

5 The people of Nineveh believed God; and they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from their greatest even to their least. 6 The news reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 He made a proclamation and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, “Let neither man nor animal, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water; 8 but let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and animal, and let them cry mightily to God. Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”

10 God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God relented of the disaster which he said he would do to them, and he didn’t do it.

Mark 1:14-20

14 Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

16 Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”

18 Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.

19 Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

Life is like sailing the sea.  The storms of life arise quickly, the riptides are invisible, and the ocean depths hide monstrous beasts.  Like sunken treasure, there’s an outside chance you might get a promotion or win the lottery.  But for the most part, one minute everything is fine and the next minute your car breaks down, you get laid off, a friend passes away, or illness strikes.  There’s always something dangerous and unpredictable bubbling up from beneath the surface.

So when the Lord tells Jonah to go East and preach repentance to Nineveh, a massive city filled with the enemies of Israel, Jonah hops on a ship going in the opposite direction, West toward Tarshish.  No wonder.  Life is crazy and unpredictable enough without street preaching in strange city!  And when a storm threatens to capsize and destroy the boat and everyone on board, he hides below decks.  The crazier his life gets, the more Jonah retreats.  Isn’t this what people often do?  Avoid the real cause of our problems, ignore our faults and moral failures, and pretend everything is okay?  Don’t we often let others shoulder our responsibilities and steer the boat? 

But finally Jonah admits that his defiance of the Lord is the cause of the storm and encourages the boat’s sailors to throw him overboard, whereupon he is promptly consumed by a giant fish.  Again, this is precisely what people do.  We surrender to our faults, resign ourselves to our fates, and give up.  We say, “Oh well, I might as well just admit I’m an addict,” or “I guess I’m just destined to be unhappy,” or poor, or unfulfilled, or what-have-you.  We stop trying to change things and let ourselves be swallowed up. 

Finally Jonah repents and is vomited out on dry land.  He obeys the Lord, preaches to the people of Nineveh and they are saved through repentance.  Unfortunately, Jonah’s story ends ambiguously.  Because as soon as he starts to get on the right track, he heads for the wasteland of anger and bitterness.

But the apostles answer the Lord’s call.  They don’t go the opposite way.  If you’ve ever watched a documentary or a television show about fishermen, you understand the kind of strength and guts it takes to fish for a living.  Fishermen don’t scare easy.  They are accustomed to storms, danger, and misfortune.  So the apostles steer their own ship, and they don’t let anybody other than God navigate.  They understand that the world is unpredictable and scary and things are going to go wrong.  But they know that if seize control and listen to God, you have a navigator who will guide you to your ultimate destination! 

Nor do they go overboard and let themselves be swallowed up by their own faults and fears.  Once they sailed the literal sea and brought back actual fish for food and livelihood.  But now, guided by and obedient to the Lord, they go out into a chaotic world and, instead of fish, they reach down into the darkness and lift up sinners to God.

There are two ways to sail the seas of life.  You can, like Jonah, disregard your faults and let yourself be swallowed up by them.  You can hand off the rudder or your life to others and ignore God, be hardheaded, resentful, and bitter.  Or you can be like the apostles.  You can take charge of your existence, face your own faults and the challenges of life head on, and listen to God. 

Which is it going to be?

Mettle Maker #388 and Holy Communion

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Mettle Maker #388

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Take on Something Big

Instead of a 3-part Mettle Maker, dealing separately with Self-Defense, Fitness, Outdoor Skills and Spiritual Development , just one message: “Take on something big.”

After 13 months, the cabin is all done. I worked on it from Nov. 2022 until Dec. 2023. What was it like? What did I learn? Well, I’m going to tell you a little bit about it, but it’s going to be like reading a travel magazine instead of actually making the trip. There are no words that can stand in for experience. Language can convey propositional and procedural knowledge, but words cannot convey the participatory or perspecitval. The project took about 500 hours. I worked in all kinds of weather, from 20F to 100F, in sun and in rain, from which I learned priceless survival skills. I handled a wide variety of hand tools, from which I learned a great deal about how to carry and manipulate weapons. I lifted, pulled, lugged, and hauled all manner of blocks, logs, boards, and planks across asphalt, grass, and mud, and even up and down ladders, which did more for my fitness than a thousand Push-ups and Squats. And finally, pushing through the project to the finish was a peerless spiritual exercise.

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I encourage you to take on something big. Something that really tests you in mind, body, and spirit. Check out the photo set and video. Then think of something you can do — something from which you stand to learn more than you thought. Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts? Looking for a free outdoor skills program? Need a fitness coach? Looking for a spiritual community? Click here to sign up for one of our free distance learning programs!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, 1/14/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: 1 Sm 3:3b-10, 19, Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10, 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20, Jn 1:35-42

John 1:35-42  World English Bible Catholic Edition

Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?”

They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?”

39 He said to them, “Come and see.”

They came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about the tenth hour.† 40 One of the two who heard John and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ‡). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is by interpretation, Peter).§

In the Hebrew tradition, a nazarite was a religious leader who made a purity vow and, in exchange, was granted special blessings, such as the power of prophecy or the strength to defend and lead the people.  For the duration of the term, which could be for a defined period or for a lifetime (as laid out in Numbers Chapter 6), the nazarite abstained from cutting his hair, the consumption of all alcoholic drinks, and from touching, or even being in the presence, of dead bodies.  A nazarite submitted himself to the letter of the Mosaic law, setting himself apart and sacrificing his freedoms to bring wisdom, clarity, and safety to the people. There are only three nazarites mentioned in the scriptures: Samson, St. John the Baptist, and Samuel.

In our Old Testament reading, Samuel who is a nazarite youth, sleeps in the temple and hears the voice of God.  But notice that he doesn’t hear very well.  There’s some confusion.  Samuel doesn’t realize it’s God who keeps awakening him from slumber.  He thinks that it’s his mentor, Rabbi Eli, calling out to him.  Finally, Eli tells him how to listen and reply. And scripture says that, “As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground” in other words, his prophecies and counsels were always faithful to God.

Contrast Samuel’s story to our Gospel reading.  Samuel cannot see God, only hear him, and he has trouble getting the message.  You might say, he’s a little fuzzy, partially asleep perhaps, from being repeatedly awakened during the night.  But Andrew, the first apostle called, and the unnamed disciple spend the daylight hours in the home where Jesus is staying.  It isn’t night, but day, and they are wide awake. There is no darkness.  There is only light. 

Samuel’s communication with God is garbled and unclear.  But Andrew and the other disciple receive direct communications from Jesus, and the Gospel is revealed.  And here’s the biggest difference in the two stories:  Samuel has to take special vows and sleep in the temple next to the Ark of Covenant in order to communicate with God.  But Andrew and the unnamed disciple needed to take no vows whatsoever.  Even an unnamed person, a literal nobody, can get closer to God than Samuel ever got, just by following Jesus and accepting him as the Son of God.

You see, for Samuel, his sanctity is based on self-control, the particularities of his appearance, his diet, and the things with which he comes into contact.  And while it’s good to be mindful about all of that, we see through Jesus’ teaching that rules and laws must work in concert with morality.  As Jesus said in Matthew 15:11, “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”  Rules, laws, self-control, abstention, and the like, while useful, can only take us so far on their own.  We must demonstrate our faith through action and follow the Lord. 

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‡ 1:41 “Messiah” (Hebrew) and “Christ” (Greek) both mean “Anointed One”.

 § 1:42 “Cephas” (Aramaic) and “Peter” (Greek) both mean “Rock”.

Mettle Maker #387 and Holy Communion for the Epiphany of the Lord

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Mettle Maker #387

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

At Heritage Self-Defense on Tues and Thurs nights, I always write the constitutional of the night on the concrete floor of the picnic shelter.

Heritage Self-Defense: Build self-defense movements into your fitness. Here at Heritage Self-Defense, we build martial arts into our fitness routines. It just doesn’t make sense for martial artists to spend hours doing exercises that make you good at exercises instead of doing exercises that make you good at martial arts. If you don’t know what the picture on the right is all about, watch this video.

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness: My overnight oats breakfast recipe. I’m just not a believer in protein powders and supplements unless there is a physical deficiency for which a medical professional recommends them. The average person should be able to get what they need from eating healthy food. The old timers didn’t use supplements and their feats of strength — and their accomplishments! — were legendary. Toward that end, I came up with the following breakfast recipe for getting the protein, fat, carbs, and fiber necessary to start my day right. Note: always make sure your breakfast contains at least 10 grams of fat — the minimum to forestall hunger until lunch. For convenience, I make 5 days of this at a time so I can grab a tub and go.

Cinnamon Raisin Spice Overnight Oats

1/2 cup each of quick oats, whole milk, and cottage cheese

2 tbsp of raisins

1 tsp of sugar

1/4 tsp of apple pie spice

Put oats and milk in a 1 cup container with a tight-fitting lid. Add raisins, spices, and sugar and stir. Place cottage cheese on top. Close container and store in the fridge. If regular old quick oats, whole milk from a cow, and whole fat cottage cheese freak you out, or if 16 calories of white sugar terrify you, you might have a complex. This is healthy and nutritious breakfast. Protein 24 gms, carbs 55, fat 12, fiber 5, calories 412

Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? We’re a 501c3 charity! Click here to sign up for our distance learning fitness program!

Heritage Wildwood Outdoor Skills: Learning natural navigation.

My suggestion is to use GPS only when taking long trips by car, or when you have to go somewhere on short notice without time to prepare. The rest of the time, practice navigating by engaging with the environment. It’s not easy. But the same types of indicators – sights, sounds, and so on – that you use to determine your position inside your home or workplace can be used to orient in your neighborhood, city, or state. The trick is to expand your spatial awareness to include the information necessary to orient outdoors.

Consider doing this as regularly as possible. Whenever you go for a walk in a new area of your neighborhood, or in an unexplored area of a local park, etc. By all means, make sure to have your cell phone in your pocket in case you get lost. And use your head – don’t put yourself in a position where you could easily wander into a risky part of town or into dangerous territory of some kind!

As you walk, just be in time and space. Where is the sun? Where is the moon? Are there noticeable cloud patterns? What is the wind direction? Is the grade up or down? What about sounds? Train whistles, bird sounds, dogs barking, a football game, gurgling creeks, cars at highway speeds?

It’s difficult, but I’m working it and making progress. And you can too.

Looking for a comprehensive but free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up for the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Epiphany of the Lord, 1/8/24 — Fr. Mitch

Readings: Is 60:1-6, Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13, Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6, Mt 2:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12  World English Bible Catholic Edition

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men† from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,

6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are in no way least among the princes of Judah;

for out of you shall come a governor

who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’ ”*

7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”

9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

Brothers and sisters, St. Paul tells us in our epistle reading (Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6) that just as the mystery of Christ and the grace of apostleship was given to him by revelation rather than through direct contact, people of non-Jewish nations are also co-partners in the promises of Christ Jesus.  Doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, you can be members of the Body of Christ, the company of all faithful people. 

Raised in a world steeped in equality and inherent human rights, it seems obvious to us that national and racial barriers cannot stand between people and God.  A true God would be the God of not just one nation, but all nations.  But it wasn’t obvious to people in Jesus’ time.  In the millennia before the birth of Christ, each nation had its own pantheon of gods and its ruler was a god-king or god-queen, a pharaoh, Caesar, or empress worshiped as a god.

Equality and human rights are new ideas, brought into the world by God himself, Jesus Christ, two thousand years ago.  They were prophesied by Isaiah to Jerusalem,

2 For behold, darkness will cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples;

but the LORD will arise on you,

and his glory shall be seen on you.

3 Nations will come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Not surprising then that a king like Herod, the King of Judea appointed by the Roman Empire, would want to know where to find the newborn King.  This new King, whoever he was, would be a great threat to his power.  So when he gets wind that greatest astronomers and astrologers of the East have seen the Star of Bethlehem moving in the heavens and have come from afar to worship him, Herod lies.  He tells the Magi that he too wants to worship the Lord.  Herod’s small mind sees another king like himself.  He assumes the newborn baby is just another human god-king and he wants to eliminate a competitor.  But the Magi are wise.  They see through Herod easily.  They disobey his orders leave without telling him where the newborn King can be found.

Herod, and every despot, tyrant, and leader who thinks he or she is a god on earth should be afraid.  Because with Christ’s birth, a new star arose in the universe who is above all human kings and gods.  Not one god among many.  Not another local, regional, or even national god.  Not another emperor, empress, king or queen behaving like a god among men.  No, this is the Son of God – the creator of the universe – the true light who is the Light of the Universe.

Yes, every oppressor, every servant of Satan, who wants to subjugate, separate, wage war, and implement some evil scheme should be afraid of Christ and his church.  Because Christians don’t follow them.  We follow Christ and Christ alone.  And thanks to Christ’s message, the sanctity of human life and the idea of human rights are now universal.

Christ dissolves the barriers between nations and races by making it clear that, since we share a common father, we are all brothers and sisters. And, by being members of the same church and accepting Christ as our King, we can give up our prejudices and nationalisms and inhabit the New Jerusalem, not only now – in the metaphysical, metaphorical, and symbolic sense – but in the future when Christ returns after the final judgement, and for all eternity, now and forevermore.

† 2:1 The word for “wise men” (magoi) can also mean teachers, scientists, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, or sorcerers.

* 2:6 Micah 5:2

Mettle Maker #386 and Holy Communion for the Feast of the Holy Family

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Mettle Maker #386

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: Practice your Shin Box Get-ups and kicking from your knees. Watch the video on the right and make a habit of practicing your kicks not just from a standing position but from your butt, your back, and your knees. You also need to be able to go from your butt to your knees without hand involvement (just in case you have a weapon in your hand or you’re also wrestling). The trick to this is a wrestling movement called a Shin Box Get-up which — surprise! — employs the Shin Box of Folk Wrestling fame. Once on your knees, you need to able to kick from there. Everybody practices up-kicks from supine position (your back), but kicking from kneeling position is always neglected.

Here you have a movement series that’s impossible to classify as wrestling, striking, or weapons practice. Which is it? It’s all three at once! This is Rough and Tumble.

Rough and Tumble isn’t about being able to quickly and fluidly switch between rules sets or ranges. Being able to transition from boxing, to kickboxing, to grappling, to wrestling is great, as far as it goes. This is like being a cook masterful enough to design the recipes and manage the menus for four different restaurants — one specializing in French cuisine, one serving soul food, and a third serving a blend of Latin and Native American food — and spending two days a week working at each. Much respect to anyone who can do that! But a Rough and Tumbler is like a natural born Cajun cook who runs three restaurants serving the food that he prepares as naturally as your grandma bakes biscuits — without a recipe. All of the elements are there — the French, the African, Latin, and Native American — and they are perfectly harmonized. Not mixed. Not blended. Harmonized.

A Rough and Tumbler’s strikes are grabs and his holds are strikes; his grappling grips and positions set-up throws, and his throws set-up his wrestling holds and locks, which land like strikes. As with Cajun food, you might be able to spot an influence here are there, but it’s really hard to tease apart exactly which element is which.

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness and Survival Two-fer: Saddlebag Carries for Fitness and Survival.

May I suggest that, on a regular basis, you get yourself an awkward object and go for a walk.  Start with something small, like a bottle of water.  You’ll be shocked to know that just carrying a 16 oz. bottle of water in one hand, which disrupts walking mechanics by wrecking arm swing, can slow your walking speed by 15% (according to my tests).  Work your way up to heavier weights.  Try walking a mile with a gallon of water in one hand (about 9 lbs), or with a 10 - 20 lb weighted belt or an auto tire over your shoulder.  Fun facts: A gallon of water weighs about 8.3 lbs (might as well say 9 lbs, depending on the container) and the average 15” auto tire weighs about 18 lbs (about as much as 2 gals). 

Consider this scenario: While driving back from a camping trip in a remote area, your friend Fred veers to avoid hitting a deer and the pickup runs off the road into a ravine.  You are thrown from the vehicle and get up, scraped and stunned but not seriously hurt.  Standing on the steep and slope you look down and see, to your horror, that the truck plunged off a vertical cliff and is now in flames.  There is no way to get down to see if Fred made it without rappelling equipment.  You survey the area and are able to find an intact gallon of water that had been in the bed of the truck.  You estimate that you are approximately 12 miles from the nearest ranger station at the main road.  Do you have the strength to make the walk, and how long will it take? How can you even guesstimate the answers to those questions if you’ve never tried anything even remotely similar? 

Since I often walk 1 to 3 miles with awkward weights in hand, I would say that chances are good I’d be able to complete the hike in about 6 hours.  In November of 2023 I completed a 16 mile walk in 4 hours and 40 minutes with no backpack and no handheld objects – about 17.5 minutes per mile.  12 miles at that speed would take 3.5 hours.  Adding 25% due to the awkward weight increases the time to 4.375 hours.  Allowing for three 30-minute rest breaks yields a conservative estimate of 6 hours.  Hint:  Take off your belt and make a sling for the jug.  Once you get past a few pounds, gripping hands quickly go numb.

Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? We’re a 501c3 charity! Click here to sign up for our distance learning fitness program!

Looking for a comprehensive but free adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up for the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, 12/31/23 – Father Mitch

Readings: Sir 3:2-6, 12-14, Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17, Lk 2:22-40

22 When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),* 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”*

25 Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.‡ 27 He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law, 28 then he received him into his arms and blessed God, and said,

29 “Now you are releasing your servant, Master,

according to your word, in peace;

30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,

31 which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;

32 a light for revelation to the nations,

and the glory of your people Israel.”

33 Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him. 34 Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. 35 Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

36 There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day. 38 Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

39 When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

An Angel of the Lord appeared to Mary and told her that she was going to give birth to a son who would be called Son of the Most High who whose kingdom would have no end. And then, despite having no relations with a man, she conceived and bore a son.  With all of that in mind, t's rather confusing to read that when they came to present their newborn son at the temple, "The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him."  Under the circumstances, how in the world can the prophecies of Simeon and Anna be the slightest bit amazing to Mary and Joseph?

Because that's just the way people are.  Elsewhere in the Gospels we read how the apostles, despite witnessing scores of miracles and hearing the words of the Master straight from his lips, seem to have difficulty understanding his teachings.  One betrays him for a handful of silver.  Another denies him three times.  I'm sorry to break it to you, but people -- me included -- are pretty dense.

We get up in the morning and drag ourselves to the coffee pot dreading the workday ahead, instead of looking at the sunrise full of hope and joy.  When the phone rings we flinch.  We wonder which one of our kids is calling for advice, which friend needs a helping hand or a small loan, or how late our boss wants us to work.  Instead of wincing at the phone, we should be overjoyed that our kids respect our opinions, thrilled that we have friends who are willing to help share our burdens in spite of our faults, and thankful that we have jobs that pay our bills and put food on our tables.

Yes, like Mary and Joseph, we’re a little dense.  We forget God’s blessings, God’s miracles, and God’s promises and we need a reminder.  When Mary and Joseph presented baby Jesus at the temple, they had the prophets Simeon and Anna to remind them.  We have the scriptures, our clergy, and our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  We have the Holy Spirit, who comes to us in prayer.  When misfortune or tragedy strikes, it’s natural to take refuge in those things. 

May I suggest that, whether things are sunny or cloudy, we go a step further and take the advice of St. Paul in 2 Cor 2:14,17: “Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. 17 For we are not peddlers of God’s word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.”

Jesus is alive.  We are standing in his presence right now, just as Mary and Joseph were at his presentation.  The scripture says, “The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.”  If we are one with the Living Christ, we can open our hearts and minds every day and witness his presentation in our inner temples, allowing the infant Christ to grow to maturity in us so that we too may grow strong in spirit.

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* 2:23 Exodus 13:2,12

* 2:24 Leviticus 12:8

‡ 2:26 “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew) both mean “Anointed One”

Holy Communion for the Nativity of the Lord

Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Nativity of the Lord, 12/25/23 – Father Mitch (Evening Service)

Readings: Is 9:1-6, Ps 96: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13, Ti 2:11-14, Lk 2:1-14

Luke 2:1-14  King James Version

1 2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.  4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

In a galaxy far, far away, in a backwater town on a desert planet, an orphan farm boy finds out that he is heir to secret lineage and destined to use his latent powers to free the galaxy from the grip of the Galactic Empire.  In a cold and dusty room beneath the stairs in a nondescript house in Surrey, a young orphan boy discovers that only he can prevent the world’s enslavement to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

These are the outlines of the Star Wars and Harry Potter, the most successful entertainment franchises in history.  Writer and mythologist Joseph Campbell, in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949) dubbed this story type the "hero's journey." Stories in this pattern have entertained, cheered, and inspired millions.  But as popular and intense as they are, they are pale shadows and faint echoes of a different, very true heroic story.

In a palace atop Palatine Hill in the center of the capital city of the most formidable empire the world will ever know, the most powerful man on earth, the emperor Caesar Augustus, fulfills his every desire and pursues any conceivable vice with unlimited money, authority, and power at his disposal.  Meanwhile, in a backwater town called Bethlehem, a baby boy is born in a stable because there is no room in the inn.  By contrast, the newborn baby Jesus is not powerful, but utterly powerless. Wrapped up in swaddling clothes and receiving blankets, unable to do more than squirm, he is bound up to his mother and father by the bonds of love. 

The emperor commands his servants to bring him the finest foods and treats from all over the world which he eats with relish.  But the newborn baby Jesus, lying in a filthy feeding trough for animals, contentedly eats what he is given.  He is not meant to eat whatever he craves, but to be food for those who crave righteousness.  His fate is not to feed upon others, but to feed others with wisdom, to be sacrificed, to share his flesh and blood with the faithful in the form of bread and wine.

The good news of this baby hero’s birth is proclaimed where?  To shepherds in the wilderness by God’s heavenly host – to the poorest of the poor – as far away from the halls of power as you can get.  Not to kings and queens by soldiers and standard-bearers, but to humble men sleeping on the ground beneath a new star – the star of Bethlehem.  The guiding star of the Empire, and entire ancient world, was always power, domination, and conquest.  The star of good fortune rested over those who had the greatest armies, the most ruthless leaders, and greatest resources.  But not in this story.  Here a new star rises.  And it doesn’t hover over the Roman emperor, but over a defenseless child in a dirty barn.

Star Wars and Harry Potter are unbelievable fictions.  But the true story of Jesus Christ boggles the mind.  How is it possible that a helpless baby rebelled against and defeated an empire – not with spears and swords, but with Hope, Faith, and Love?  How is it possible that he forever turned the world upside down?

Because he is the Son of God. 

You can visit the pile of stones that was once the emperor's palace on Palatine Hill.  You can go and see the ruins of the Coliseum where the empire fed early Christians to the lions.  You can walk along the remnants of emperor Hadrian's wall in the United Kingdom, or see what’s left of the Heliopolis in Lebanon.  The empire and its monuments are all rubble and its emperors are dead.

But Jesus Christ lives.  His church remains, the story of his birth endures, and the uprising continues. 

Tell your children and your grandchildren.  Tell your friends.  Proclaim the good news to this suffering culture.  If you thrill to the tales of the rebel alliance fighting against the Galactic Empire, imagine how your heart will sing if you participate in the rebellion against greed, lust, materialism, and hatred.  If you cheered as Harry Potter and his friends triumphed over Voldemort, imagine how your soul will soar when you participate in the real rebellion, started two millennia ago by Jesus Christ, carried on by a rag-tag group of 12 apostles, and continuing to this very day.

We, his rebel forces, carry on the fight against evil, first in our own hearts, and then in the world. 

Mettle Maker #385 and Holy Communion for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

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Mettle Maker #385

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: What should a typical training session look like? It’s very hard to train consistently, day in and day out. Some days you have a really hard time overcoming inertia and getting started. But if you have a plan laid out in advance its much easier — especially if you train early in the morning like I do and you’re a little bleary-eyed. What’s your plan? Need some ideas? Well, here at Heritage Self-Defense, our twice-weekly training sessions break down as follows:

5 - 10 minutes of mettle drills

15 minutes of skills practice

15 minutes of sparring

15 - 20 minutes constitutional

5 - 10 minutes of internal work

1 minute closing oath

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60 minutes total

Mettle drills are groups of techniques, sequences of movement, simulated fights, or flow drills that are memorized and repeated in a relaxed and fluid manner as part of the learning process.

Skills practice refers to techniques practiced in isolation, breakdowns of drills, and so forth.

Sparring is fighting in a controlled manner so as to maximize preparedness for actual self-defense while minimizing injury and trauma.

A constitutional is martial fitness routine made up of 7 different constitutional exercises (about 25 reps each).

Internal work will take the form of either contemplation, meditation, prayer or reading of sacred literature.

The closing oath is as follows: "To North, South, East and West, to our higher powers and better selves, we ask and send our blessings; that we may train with sincerity, outside the influence of evil forces, and successfully embody the Five Virtues of Heritage Self-Defense: Wonder, Sagacity, Frugality, Indomitability and Fraternity. Ex Gladio Scientia.¹ Rah!"

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

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Heritage Fitness: Fitness is a walk, not a sprint. Literally! There’s no exercise better than a brisk walk. According to this article, walking counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes, helps tame your sweet tooth (according to a pair of studies from the University of Exeter), reduces the risk of developing breast cancer, eases joint pain, and boosts immune function.

And because it doesn’t result in sharp drops in blood sugar, walking doesn’t trigger extreme hunger or binge eating the way other more intense forms of exercise can.

That’s one reason why bodybuilders both old and new are devout walkers. A 150 lb. walker can burn 266 calories per hour without generating a voracious appetite. Avoiding irresistible hunger is key for folks looking to burn off fat and keep it off, because every extra calorie is stored as fat. If you want to be lean, go for a walk. You can literally walk your buns off and still have plenty of juice for lifting weights, yard work, your day job, a night on the down, or a weekend canoe trip, martial arts training, or whatever your heart desires.

Start walking today and begin working your way up to a considerable weekly mileage total. You decide what’s right for you – the world’s your oyster. Just know that (barring any health barriers or handicaps) even the average, able-bodied human being can walk enormous distances without ill effects.

Just look at the legendary walking feats of Edward Payson Weston, probably the greatest walker of all time. His first walk of renown was occasioned by the loss of a bet on the results of the 1860 U.S. Presidential election. Weston bet against Lincoln, lost, and had to walk from Boston to Washington D.C. -- a staggering 478 miles! -- through late February rain and snow. He completed the walk in just 10 days and 10 hours. Arriving in the capital only a few hours before President-elect Lincoln’s inaugural ball, Weston was totally un-depleted and able to attend the event without issue.

I’m no Edward Payson Weston, but this old man – aged 62 – just walked 16 miles in 4 hours and 40 minutes at the 2023 Richmond Marathon. Everything was good for the first 10 miles or so, as I maintained a 16-minutes-per-mile pace. But as my strength flagged I had to slow down, and the pace trucks caught me at mile 16 and I was forced to stop. Oh well – there’s always next year!

Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? We’re a 501c3 charity! Click here to sign up for our distance learning fitness program!

Heritage Wildwood: Merry Christmas! Get a free download of the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program textbook! The textbook for the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program is The Wildwood Workbook, cover picture on the left. It contains dozens of effective, real-world drills and activities that will deepen your appreciation for the natural world and prepare you for a variety of survival situations.

To download a free copy, click this link and use coupon code NM95U. Coupon good until 1/1/24.

Looking for a comprehensive adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up for the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program!

¹ Ex gladio scientia is Latin for “From the sword, knowledge.” This is a statement with a double-meaning, referring to both the importance of discernment (Matthew 10:34-36) and to how we learn about ourselves through martial arts study.

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, 12/24/23 – Father Mitch

Readings: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16,Ps 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29.  Rom 16:25-27, Lk 1:26-38

Luke 1:26-38  World English Bible Catholic Edition 

26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”

29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 36 Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”‡

38 Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”

At the time when archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary, the emperor was Caesar Augustus.  Caesar Augustus was and is a notable figure even among famous emperors, not the least reason being that he is considered the origin of imperial cult.  He was the first Roman emperor to be worshipped.

His birth name was Gaius Octavius Thurinus.  His father was Gaius Octavius, a successful statesman and diplomat.  He gave the boy the third name “Thurinus” because his proudest early accomplishment was putting down a large slave uprising in Thurii.  His mother was Atia.  According to the Roman historian Suetonius,

The day he [Caesar Augustus] was born the conspiracy of Catiline was before the House, and Octavius came late because of his wife's confinement; then Publius Nigidius, as everyone knows, learning the reason for his tardiness and being informed also of the hour of the birth, declared that the ruler of the world had been born. (Suetonius:94:5)*

This was the prophecy of Caesar Augustus’ birth, ascendancy to emperor, and eventual worship.  But even before he was conceived, his mother had a revelatory experience as she worshiped the god Apollo.

When Atia had come in the middle of the night to the solemn service of Apollo, she had her litter set down in the temple and fell asleep, while the rest of the matrons also slept. On a sudden a serpent glided up to her and shortly went away. When she awoke, she purified herself, as if after the embraces of her husband, and at once there appeared on her body a mark in colours like a serpent, and she could never get rid of it; so that presently she ceased ever to go to the public baths. In the tenth month after that Augustus was born and was therefore regarded as the son of Apollo. Atia too, before she gave him birth, dreamed that her vitals were borne up to the stars and spread over the whole extent of land and sea, while Octavius dreamed that the sun rose from Atia's womb. (Suetonius:94:4)*

What sort of prophecy precedes Gabriel’s annunciation to her?  Not an isolated prediction by an occultist, astrologer, and mage like Publius Nigidius.  But rather a thousand years of prophecies, numbering over 300 by some counts, dating all the way back to the prophets Ezekiel, who wrote six centuries before, and Isaiah, who wrote two centuries even before him.

24 “ ‘ “My servant David will be king over them. They all will have one shepherd. They will also walk in my ordinances and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 They will dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers lived. They will dwell therein, they, and their children, and their children’s children, forever. David my servant will be their prince forever. (Ezekiel 37:24-25)

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

Rest assured, brothers and sisters that our Heavenly Father is the God of all things, including history itself.  The juxtapositions and contrasts between the Lord of Hosts and the lord of an empire, and between a humble mother from Nazareth and wealthy aristocrat from Rome, are not coincidental, but rather predetermined.  They are put there by God for us to see.   

The archangel Gabriel appeared, not to a wealthy aristocratic woman carried by slaves on a litter into a temple of Apollo, but to a humble virgin named Mary, living in the backwater town of Nazareth.  Our savior’s mother wasn’t impregnated in her sleep, raped by a serpent.  Mary’s destiny is revealed to her, and she humbly accepts it.  And our Lord Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate tomorrow, is not nicknamed in honor of an act of oppression, but is instead called Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” 

‡ 1:37 or, “For everything spoken by God is possible.”

 * The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquillus (Loeb Classical Library, 1913)

Mettle Maker #384 and Holy Communion for the Third Sunday of Advent

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Mettle Maker #384

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Jesus cleansing the temple

Heritage Self-Defense: Is it permissible for Christians to defend themselves? I am an Old Catholic priest who has been teaching martial arts for over 35 years. Despite the fact that neither my seminary, my bishop, nor my fellow church members have ever voiced concerns about a conflict between my clerical and martial pursuits, I struggled with the issue of Christian self-defense all the way through seminary right up until putting the final period on this article. I wrote it primarily for me. But I hope that it will also assist other Christians looking for a resolution to the question of Christian self-defense and serve as an adequate defense against those who think it is inappropriate for a priest to practice and teach self-defense classes.

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts with a spiritual center? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness: New science on longevity. Watch the video on the right. I’m not saying we should all be disciples of Dr. Peter Attia. His diet and fasting stuff is sometimes a little extreme. But I do think that he advocates some really good ideas and presents science-based concepts, like Zone 2 cardiovascular exercise (walking and rucking are great examples), resistance training, and so on. Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? We’re a 501c3 charity! Click here to sign up for our distance learning fitness program!

Heritage Wildwood: Merry Christmas! Get a free download of the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program textbook! The textbook for the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program is The Wildwood Workbook, cover picture on the left. It contains dozens of effective, real-world drills and activities that will deepen your appreciation for the natural world and prepare you for a variety of survival situations.

To download a free copy, click this link and use coupon code NM95U. Coupon good until 1/1/24.

Looking for a comprehensive adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up for the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program!

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Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, Sunday 12/17/23 – Father Mitch

Readings: Is 61:1-2A, 10-11, Lk 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54, 1 Thes 5:16-24, Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

John 1:6-8, 19-28  World English Bible Catholic Edition

6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light.

19 This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 He declared, and didn’t deny, but he declared, “I am not the Christ.”

21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?”

He said, “I am not.”

“Are you the prophet?”

He answered, “No.”

22 They said therefore to him, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’* as Isaiah the prophet said.”

24 The ones who had been sent were from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”

26 John answered them, “I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.” 28 These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

In my evangelization work I encounter people judge God and his church by a few Christians they perceive negatively.  “This or that Christian is a real stinker,” they say.  “I wouldn’t want to be associated with any God or religion that produces people like that.”  I also speak to fellow Christians who refer to themselves as Calvinists, Lutherans, Wesleyans, Thomists, and so on – Christian groups, philosophical divisions, and denominations named after fallible, mortal men.

Both of these are different quicksands in the same swamp.  It’s perfectly alright to look up to people with admirable qualities.  And it’s also good to be conscious of the faults and errors in ourselves and others.  Whether they are admirable or reprehensible, confusing people with God is a trap.  Against God, dispersions cannot be cast.  To be crystal clear, when I say that we cannot cast dispersions against God, I don’t mean that we are unable to try.  People try all the time.  What I mean is that they are attempting the impossible. 

The first Vatican Council defined God as, “the Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, Almighty, Eternal, Immense, Incomprehensible, Infinite in intellect and will and in all perfection.”¹ God is perfect.  And his goodness is so great that it is indescribable.  Therefore, if what you are describing is imperfect or in any way worthy of criticism, what you’re describing isn’t God.  It’s something else.  If you’re going to point toward God, you’re going to need to point higher – all the way up to the Highest Possible Good.

For example, if someone says, “God is evil because of this or that,” this person is mistaken – either about the nature of God, or about the “this or that.”  God is infinitely perfect and indescribable.  As a technical matter, it is impossible to find imperfection in God because he is, by definition, perfect.  But it is also true that God inspires people to do good, and that whenever we turn our backs on God, evil soon follows.  How then are we to reconcile the relationship between God and his representatives? 

The way forward is embodied in St. John the Baptist.  Revered beyond all other teachers of his day, the Mandaeans and Sabeans not only admired him above all others, but tried to say he was the final prophet or even the messiah.  The Pharisees accused him of claiming the same.  But St. John was equally clear with everyone – both to those who wanted to revere him and to those who accused him of misrepresenting himself.  He declared that he was not Elijah returned, and he proclaimed, “I am not the Christ.” 

When asked who he was, he replied that he was just a lone man crying out to those in the wilderness – to everyone lost in a wasteland of aimlessness, sadness, depression, isolation, loneliness, and feelings of godforsakenness.  He was clear with everyone that he was just a man, announcing that one greater than he was coming – Jesus Christ, the Son of God, perfect, indescribable, above all criticism and reproach.

Brothers and sisters when our fellow Christians make mistakes, and our leaders stumble, don’t let that shake your belief in Jesus Christ.  When others point to the imperfect people in our midst, don’t let them use that lever to drive a wedge between you and God.  Don’t let it shake you.  Because God is perfect.  And the minute you begin to conceive of something that God is, or does, represents or stands for is imperfect, realize that the error is not in God, it is in your mistakenness.  God is perfect.  Let us worship him.

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 * 1:23 Isaiah 40:3

 ¹  The Dogmatic Decrees of the Vatican Council Concerning the Catholic Faith and the Church of Christ. A.D. 1870.   https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/creeds2.v.ii.i.html

Mettle Maker #383 and Holy Communion for the Second Sunday of Advent

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Mettle Maker #383

What’s the weekly mettle maker? Training tips and educational information in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? According the American Heritage Dictionary, mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”

Heritage Self-Defense: Humility is a key martial attribute. Possession of elite fighting skills is a massive responsibility. We, as men and women seeking those skills, we have a duty to cultivate sufficient humility to balance our fighting skills. Why humility? To be humble is to be small in worth, modest and unpretentious — a humble home, a humble childhood, a humble apology. A humble man doesn’t fight because he has been insulted, because he doesn’t think he’s too great to be criticized. He’s not vulnerable to attacks against his character because he knows exactly who he is and doesn’t pretend to be something he is not. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, “The virtue of humility consists in keeping oneself within one's own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one's superior." (Summa Contra Gent., bk. IV, ch. LV, par. 17). Therefore a humble man doesn’t mete out violence with the presumption of godhood, becuause he submits to his superior — his God, his Higher Power. Nor does he dare to think of himself as judge, jury, and executioner. Humility is the virtue of perspective.

Interested in American Rough and Tumble martial arts? Join the martial arts club in Richmond, VA or click here to sign up for the Heritage self-defense distance learning program.

Heritage Fitness: Humble reps? Never push to the last rep, all the way to failure. What are you trying to prove? Who are you trying to impress? It’s a great idea to use a training journal to keep track of your progress (or lack thereof). You need to make sure that your training program is producing results. But pushing to failure to set a new PR (personal record) is sketchy. 90% of your injuries, your long-term wear-and-tear, and your post-training recovery discomfort (and lost training time) are going to come directly from training to failure. Train to the rep just prior to failure. Stop when you think, “I could probably get one more rep, maybe two.” You’ll be glad you did. Need a free fitness coach to help you build a program that suits your specific needs and goals? We’re a 501c3 charity! Click here to sign up for our distance learning fitness program!

Heritage Wildwood: The experiment continues… I’ve been working on my “homegrown chai” recipe for about a year now, and I’m starting to make progress. My goal is to come up with a chai recipe using plants anybody can easily grow at home. As I write this I’m drinking a blend made up primarily of nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) and marigold flowers (see pic on right). Here’s the thing — there are plenty of people with an academic knowledge of what’s edible and inedible, who’ve memorized lists of things you can and cannot eat. But there are other types of knowledge which are equally important, and you can only get those by actually growing, foraging, harvesting, processing, eating, drinking, tasting, and savoring. I highly recommend that, as part of your outdoor skills education, you engage in all four ways of knowing: propositional, perspectival, participatory, and procedural. Looking for a comprehensive adult outdoor skills program? Click here to sign up for the Heritage Wildwood distance learning program!

Holy Communion is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy communion, CLICK HERE.

Homily for the Second Sunday of Advent, Sunday 12/10/23 – Father Mitch

Readings: IS 40:1-5, 9-11, PS 85:9-10-11-12, 13-14, 2 PT 3:8-14, MK 1:1-8

Mark 1:1-8  World English Bible Catholic Edition

1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in the prophets,

“Behold,† I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way before you:*

3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness,

‘Make ready the way of the Lord!

Make his paths straight!’ ”*

4 John came baptizing‡ in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5 All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8 I baptized you in§ water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

The desert where John the Baptist lived and worked, and where Jesus was baptized, is the Judean desert outside Jerusalem (MT 3:1).  It runs eastward, all the way down to the West Bank of the Dead Sea. This is the same desert where David hid from Saul and where the caves of Qumran hid the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Few of us will ever get to visit this specific desert so rich in history.

But perhaps you’ve spent some time in another desert – the spiritual desert.  I’ve been there.  It’s not a good place.  Maybe you are there right now.  When you are in this state of spiritual desolation, you may feel abandoned by God, that you are estranged from him, or that he has withdrawn his Grace from you.  Perhaps you have some form of depression triggered by negative life events or caused by a physical or mental condition.  Perhaps you are being assaulted by the devil or his cohorts. Maybe God has placed this obstacle before you so that you can grow in faith and then go on to experience great joys and do great works.

Both saints and everyday people get turned around in the desert.  Saint John of the Cross famously called this desolation "the Dark Night of the Soul."  He said, "The fire of Divine love can so dry up the spirit and enkindle its desire for satisfying its thirst that it turns upon itself a thousand times and longs for God in a thousand ways, as the Psalmist did when he said: For Thee my soul hath thirsted; for Thee my flesh O how many ways."  Mother Theresa spent most of her long life in a spiritual wilderness, pressing ever forward with great difficulty.  Some get so completely lost in its barren dunes that they become completely separated from God, living lives of depravity, disorder, decadence, delinquency, and disaffection. 

But, Mark says, “Hey, pay attention, I’ve got some good news for everyone out there in the desert.  It’s the Gospel of the Messiah, the Savior who has come here to rescue you, and he is the Son of God.”  This gospel is not like the message given by the emperors and generals of Jesus’s day.  “Gospel” in Greek is evangélion, an evangelization.  That’s what it was called when the emperor or his generals returned from a campaign – an evangélion.  They entered the city, paraded the slaves, exotic animals, and treasure they got from their wars, proclaimed their gospel – their good news. 

But not this Jesus.  He’s not coming first to the happy and prosperous places and he’s not bringing the spoils of war.  He’s not walking the wide and beautiful, tree-lined streets.  No, no – his mission begins in the desert.  He’s coming to help the lost people first.  He’s coming to save the people who are thirsting to death – who are exhausted, dehydrated, delirious, dying for water.

“But listen up,” Mark says.  “If you want to find our way out of this desert you need to make way.”  As the Gospels say, we must “make ready the way of the Lord” and “make his paths straight.”  You can get out of this desert.  But you’re going to have to stop trying to find our own way through the wilderness and clear a path for him so he can get to you. When the emperor or his generals say “make way” he means “get out my way, I’m coming through with my horses and chariots, and if you don’t move, you’re going to get run over.”  But Jesus says something completely different.  He’s saying that you have to sweep away of the briars, obstacles, and debris of your preconceived notions, your personal desires, your self-pities, prides, and personal plans.

And if you do that, Jesus will bring into your desert the water of life, the living water.  Yes, if you make a pathway for him to enter your life, he will be there.  When he comes, ask him for a drink and he will satisfy your thirst forever.  He will give you a drink of the water that will become in you “a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:14). 

Only make away and ask, and he will make for you an oasis amid the sand. 

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 † 1:2 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

 * 1:2 Malachi 3:1

 * 1:3 Isaiah 40:3

 ‡ 1:4 or, immersing

 § 1:8 The Greek word (en) translated here as “in” could also be translated as “with” in some contexts.