Mettle Maker #439: Vulnerability, Impairment, Three Magi, and Holy Eucharist for 1/5/25

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #439: Impairment Drills

Just like last week, I’m telling you to “keep it real” — that is, keep your training as close to the real thing as you can. The reality is that if you are faced with real violence (not social aggression, such as your drunk Uncle Phil at the family reunion or a rowdy knucklehead at the state fair) you are going to be commodity. A resource. An untapped well of pleasure or treasure that the attacker is going to tap in order to experience the fun of inflicting pain or improve his balance sheet with an influx of cash or assets.

Get this through your head: You are not going to get attacked unless your attacker(s) have an advantage — surprise, superior numbers, better weapons, or all three. If your head is up, your eyes are bright, and you’re moving through the world like a squared away rough ‘n’ tumbler, you are not going to get selected as a target.

Plan on starting the fight disoriented, outnumbered, injured, and in pain. You are going to get picked when you’re sad, exhausted, miserable, vulnerable, and/or distracted — when you’re in the pharmacy line to get your Z-pack because the flu is crushing you, when you’re taking a work call on your day off while shopping with your kids at the mall, or something like that.

Watch the video above and train accordingly.

And if you haven’t done so already, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the Epiphany of the Lord 1/5/25 – Father Mitch

Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13, Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12 World English Bible

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.

The story of the three wise men at once intrigues and perplexes us. We are charmed and fascinated despite the parts of the story that fly in the face of logic and expectation. Make no mistake, the confusing parts of the story aren’t there because people of the past were gullible and wrote things down without questioning them.  Writing over 1,600 years ago, St. John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, noted that a star in the sky always appears to be hovering over a location in the distance, ever receding, like the proverbial carrot dangled in front of a mule, and cannot possibly indicate a specific location.  He further noted that, for two reasons, the magi could not have “followed” the star in the astrological sense – first, because astrology doesn’t work, and second, because no one has never been bold enough to make the false claim that astrology can reveal a location as specific as a particular building.  Chrysostom also mentioned the implausibility that Persian wise men, who were typically consultants in the court of Persian kings and princes, would risk being beheaded for paying homage to a foreign king.

The ancients certainly knew there were legitimate concerns with the reductionist, material, scientific truth of the story.  But they also understood that there are higher truths than the material, and that this story contains vitally important allegorical, moral, and spiritual meanings that make it more than worthy of being at the center of the 12th and final day of the Christmas season.  The biblical stories are infinite in their potential.  An unlimited number of insights into the text are possible.  Here are three that readily come to mind. 

First, a star is the most beautiful, distant light in the night sky – the highest light that everyone can see, royal and common people alike.  When we “wish upon a star” we give voice to our desires for the best possible future.   From a practical, behavioral perspective, we can see that, although our desires widely differ, all those trying to get to the best possible place are moving in a similar direction, striving for a twinkling, half seen and indistinct destination.  And all those who strive for the highest possible good for all will find a baby in a manger – the seed of extraordinary, life-saving potential available to all who share this common goal.

The moral message of the story is far more powerful, and is wrapped up in the way that stars represent objective moral truths.  A star, like the North Star or the stars of the Southern Cross, keeps us from getting lost when surrounded by darkness.  If we accept and live by the idea that all truths are subjective – that we are allowed to “speak our truth” instead of following God’s truth – we bicker and fight among ourselves, all traveling in random, chaotic directions.  But if everyone including the “magi” – those especially rich in knowledge, prestige, and money – seek the star of God’s objective moral truth, then the Son of God and his saving grace will be revealed to us all.

And perhaps the greatest and most obvious spiritual truth we can gather from this story is that the star is an allegory for God the Father who shows us the right way to travel through life.  That we, like the magi, should be prepared to risk our reputations and put aside our political allegiances, that we might ultimately find his Son.  And having found his son, that we may surrender to him our gold and treasures and replace our desire for money, power, and fame with the desire for love, truth, righteousness, and justice.  And having made our sacrifice, that we might worship him all the days of our life and be coheirs to eternal life through his salvific power.

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† 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 #438: Improvised Weapons, Family Dynamics, and Holy Eucharist for 12/29/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #438: Improvised Weapons

Keep the training as close to the real thing as you can. This is a fundamental rule of martial arts. So, with that in mind, do you practice using weapons from the environment? Or do you just assume that you’ll be good at grabbing something to defend yourself with when the need arises?

The reality is, if you’re attacked by an armed person, you need to arm yourself. Unarmed vs. weapon? Sure, if you have to. But the odds favor weapon vs. weapon. Watch the video above for ideas, and make an effort to train this way at least twice a month.

And if you haven’t done so already, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 Feast of the Holy Family 12/29/24 – 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 2:41-52

 Luke 2:41-52 World English Bible

Jesus’ parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast; 43 and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey; and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.”

49 He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Losing a child is a parent's greatest fear – either losing them physically, to abduction, accident or violence, or losing them in spirit, to crime, addiction, ideological or spiritual possession, or some other horror.  Mary and Joseph's loss of young Jesus in today's gospel reading turns those fears inside out.  Although Jesus is lost to them for three days, he isn't lost due to kidnapping, murder, drugs, a cult, or anything like that.  They lost him to God's work in the temple, and their loss was transformed into what must've been a mix of joy and frustration, pride and relief.

What Jesus’ family did not know at the time was that their earthly, parental relief was destined to be elevated to the level of Salvation by a second, and even more terrifying disappearance: Jesus' crucifixion and death on a cross.  As a youth, Jesus is lost for three days, busy discussing Torah with the scribes and Pharisees.  As a man, Jesus is lost to the pit of death for three days, busy ministering to those bound up in hell.  In the former, he is found by his immediate family; in the latter he is found by the family of all humanity to be the Savior.  Jesus said in John 2:19 “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  So now we see that, as a child, after three days Jesus is found alive in a temple; but in the Resurrection, he his found after three days to be the temple.

Before Jesus, the bonds of family were solely genealogical.  Now, in Christ, all men and women are brothers and sisters, and the blessings of family extend to all believers.  As St. Paul said in Galatians 3:26-28, “You are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Through his Life and Word, Jesus takes the natural truths of nature and society and elevates them to a higher dimension.  By the power of Christ, a cleansing bath which washes away dirt and cleanses the body is transformed into the sacrament of Baptism, the bath of regeneration which washes away sin and cleanses mind, body, and spirit. In Christ, the simple pleasure of sharing bread and wine with friends becomes the lifesaving sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.  And the blessings of family, through Christ’s saving grace, extended to the blessed company of all faithful people. 

Stoicism, Mount Carmel, Leaping for Joy, Mettle Maker #437, and Holy Eucharist for 12/22/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #437: The Stoicism of Mount Carmel

No stoicism? No martial arts. There are going to be bumps and bruises, discomforts, requirements to be quiet and not complain, and so on, or else you’re just doing interpretive dance. When stoicism comes out of the martial arts, other innovations with questionable fighting relevance rush in to replace it, like musical forms. Not coincidentally, this runs parallel to other types of “modern art.” This is why, in 2024, paintings don’t look like anything, public buildings resemble bunkers or pillboxes, and most pop music is just vacuous lyrics over beats. Always beware of forces that are deconstructing rather than a constructing — people, ideas, and pursuits which pull things apart rather than pull them together.

Creative pursuits, ideas, and insights have to be structured within a sensible interpretive framework in order be constructive. Would you rather go and watch dancers move as whimsically inspired by orchestras playing random sounds? Or would you prefer to go and see The Nutcracker?

When the martial arts are unmoored from their stoic anchor they go adrift.

When it comes to stoicism, one of my favorite expressions comes from St. John of the Cross’s The Ascent of Mount Carmel. (p. 58-59, paragraph numberings removed):.

• That thou mayest have pleasure in everything, seek pleasure in nothing.

• That thou mayest know everything, seek to know nothing.

• That thou mayest possess all things, seek to possess nothing.

• That thou mayest be everything, seek to be nothing.

• That thou mayest attain to that in which thou hast no pleasure, thou must walk there where thou hast no pleasure.

• That thou mayest attain to that which thou knowest not, thou must go through that which thou knowest not.

• That thou mayest attain to that which thou possessest not, thou must go through that which thou possessest not.

• That thou mayest attain to that which thou art not, thou must go through that which thou art not.

• When thou dwellest upon anything, thou hast ceased to cast thyself upon the All.

• Because in order to arrive from all to the All, thou hast to deny thyself wholly in all.

• And when thou comest to attain the All, thou must keep it without desiring anything.

• Because if thou wilt keep anything with the All, thou hast not thy treasure simply in God.

• In detachment the spirit finds quiet and repose, for coveting nothing, nothing wearies it by elation, and nothing oppresses it by dejection, because it stands in the centre of its own humility; for as soon as it covets anything it is immediately fatigued thereby.

One more thing: December is Spirit Month, during which we always engage in some kind of special activity related one of the eight spiritual disciplines. This year we’re embodying service by donating money, food, and time to FeedMore, an esteemed Virginia charity providing food to folks who are hungry. Click here to make a donation.

If you haven’t done so already, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the Fourth Sunday of Advent 12/22/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Mi 5:1-4a, Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19, Heb 10:5-10, Lk 1:39-45

Luke 1:39-45  World English Bible

Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”

This is a charming story, a happy tale of a kind that often surrounds the pregnancies of women.  It is one of those popular "isn't that so sweet?" stories that get shared and passed down, told and retold.  Every family has them.  In our family, we often tell the story of my wife's severe morning sickness when carrying our youngest child.  For most of her pregnancy the only food she could keep down was watermelon!  There were times when half of our fridge was taken up by watermelon!  And so, you can imagine the people in Mary's extended family saying, "Remember that time when Aunt Mary and Aunt Liz were both pregnant?  And when they got together, John leaped in Liz's womb as if greeting his unborn cousin Jesus?" 

The fact that this story is touching and relatable is what makes it memorable, but this is not what makes it of the highest value.  Its homespun reality, the fact that we can see our own grandmothers, mothers, and aunts in these two characters, makes it heartwarming.  This may explain why it was told, retold, and remembered long enough to be written down.  But what makes it of ultimate relevance – worthy of being placed at the very forefront of the biblical stories – is something entirely different.  This isn’t just Elizabeth’s baby leaping as if her child is greeting Mary’s.  Elizabeth herself leaps up and, speaking like a prophetess, proclaims the truth of Christ.  What makes this story precious – not precious as in cute, but precious as in a diamond or a pearl – is that it reveals what always happens whenever we allow our Lord and God, like an embryo, to take root and grow within. 

The Blessed Virgin Mary says to the angel of the Lord, "let it be to me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38).  When we allow the Holy Ghost permission to fertilize our hearts, and give Jesus Christ a place to dwell and grow in the very core of our being, we take on a kind of glow, like pregnant women often do.  Carrying the light of Christ within us, letting that light shine wherever we go, we start to change.

Listen to a mother speak about her relationship with her child.  Ask her how carrying her baby profoundly altered the way she sees the world.  Now imagine how carrying the Son of God, growing closer to him than any other human being who ever lived, must've profoundly changed the Blessed Virgin Mary.  And ask yourself: "How might I be transformed by carrying within me – starting right now! – the spirit of Christ?"  If we do this, I guarantee that something will stir within everyone we meet, just as the unborn John the Baptist leapt inside his mother Elizabeth.  If we carry Jesus Christ within us, the divine spark placed in each and every person by our Lord and God will leap for joy when we come near.  And those people will stand up and proclaim, as Elizabeth did, the good news.

St. Paul says in Gal 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." Let us all nurture within ourselves God's Word, his only begotten Son.  Not just for our own sake, but for the sake of all those we meet, that a seed within them might resonate and stir.  Let us carry within us the life that is the light of men (John 1:4-5) – the Holy Light of Christ that shines in the darkness and which the darkness cannot overcome.

Updates, Amendments, Mettle Maker #436, and Holy Eucharist for 12/15/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #436: Updates and Amendments

Last week I reminded the kind folks involved in the Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble part of the charity’s mission, that if you ain’t doin’ two constitutionals a week, you ain’t doing Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble. But those folks who’ve been around since the old days will tell you that we approach constitutionals somewhat differently than we did in the old days:

New Way of Doing Constitutionals vs. Old Way

• Lower reps (usually 25 per exercise) as opposed to High reps (often 50 or 100)

• Low impact instead of high impact

• Accent on martial rather than fitness relevance

• Restoration instead of perspiration

To do one the new way, check out our newer stuff — like the video above.

WE MADE THAT UPDATE SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OTHER MAJOR UPDATES LATELY.

Various Updates and Amendments

• Major overhaul of the YouTube Channel ongoing. There has been such major evolution in my thinking on matters material, martial, and spiritual since since I started the YouTube channel back in 2009, and there were so many older videos behind which I could no longer stand, that we’ve started taking down some of the older ones.

• The deletion of the YouTube videos has caused some broken links on the list of feats. Updates on the way!

• December Fellowship meeting is moving to Thurs the 19th this month. Mitch has a family get-together on the 20th. Click here on the 19th at 8 PM: https://meet.google.com/fyf-hofz-abq

One more thing: December is Spirit Month, during which we always engage in some kind of special activity related one of the eight spiritual disciplines. This year we’re embodying service by donating money, food, and time to FeedMore, an esteemed Virginia charity providing food to folks who are hungry. Click here to make a donation.

If you haven’t done so already, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the Third Sunday of Advent 12/15/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Zep 3:14-18a, Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6, Phil 4:4-7, Lk 3:10-18

Luke 3:10-18  World English Bible

The multitudes asked John the Baptist, “What then must we do?”

11 He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”

12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?”

13 He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.”

14 Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?”

He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”

15 As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ, 16 John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

18 Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.

 Today’s gospel reading immediately follows John the Baptist’s fiery speech saying, “You offspring of vipers… produce fruits worthy of repentance” for every tree “that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”  The people, having been warned, understandably ask, “Teacher, what must we do?”

The Baptizer replies, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”  Sharing is often seen as a small thing, something taught in kindergarten.  But it is far, far more than that.  It is the small miracle of which each and every human being is capable.  And truly a miracle it is!  In this world there is every reason to get and keep what is ours.  Why in heaven’s name, if we are to believe the materialists and the atheists, would anyone stoop to share anything?  Without God, the question would always be “What’s in for me?” And yet, welling up in the human heart, in, through, and down the ages since time immemorial, we see a spark of the divine placed there by our Lord and God.  That acts of selfless sharing are enacted at all is proof of the compassion and love placed in our breasts by our maker.  When someone shares with us, or we see an act of sharing, we are more likely to share with others.  In this way, we are acting out, and reenacting, Jesus’ multiplication of the loaves and fishes.  Sharing is contagious.  All of this, brothers and sisters, is proof that we are made in God’s image. 

And to the tax collectors, John the Baptist says, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.”  We should remember that a Roman tax collector, known as a publican, was a contractor.  Publicans would bid on contracts to collect tax in a given area.  If they won the bid, the total amount of tax was considered a loan which they had to pay back to Rome.  Any amount over and above the loan which they were able to collect was their profit for having done the tax gathering work.  So John is telling the publicans not to take advantage of their fellow citizens, to be reasonable in what they take for their profits.  To the soldiers he answers in much the same way, telling them not use their strength and position to mistreat the people in their community.

All three of John’s answers are essentially calls to “love thy neighbor as thyself” – the theme of Leviticus 19:18 which Jesus later proclaims in Matthew 22:39 to be like unto the greatest commandment.  These passages beautifully encapsulate why John the Baptist is called the Precursor and the Forerunner.  Here he begins to suggest in part the radical ideas that Jesus Christ will proclaim in full.  And when it is suggested that perhaps he might be the Christ, John announces the truth of what is really going in his ministry – namely that the healing work of baptism he has begun in the human dimension will be taken up into the spiritual dimension by the only one who can do so – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Deserts, Disciplines, and the "CNL": Mettle Maker #435 and Holy Eucharist for 12/8/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #435: Deserts, Disciplines, and the “CNL”

Mettlecraft Month is officially a wrap, December is here, and it’s time to get back to normal in terms of our martial arts and fitness training. Let’s get started with a reminder:

If you ain’t doin’ two constitutionals a week, you ain’t doin’ Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble.

Look, some folks call me “Father” as a polite honorific I suppose, but I’m not your actual dad, so I can’t order you around (and I wouldn’t even if I was). But if you don’t do two constitutionals a week, you’re not doing HRnT. In my training journal, I write “CNL” for short. You can do more fitness than just two CNLs per week. You layer on weights, running, rock climbing, whatever floats your boat — or nothing at all. Whatever you want. Personally, I suggest adding in old-school stuff, like harder calisthenics, sandbags, Indian clubs, light dumbbells, walking, hiking, real life adventures, and real life chore work. But as the kids are saying, “you do you.”

One more thing: December is Spirit Month, during which we always engage in some kind of special activity related one of the eight spiritual disciplines. This year we’re embodying service by donating money, food, and time to FeedMore, an esteemed Virginia charity providing food to folks who are hungry. Click here to make a donation.

If you haven’t done so already, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

---

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 the Second Sunday of Advent 12/8/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Bar 5:1-9, Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6, Phil 1:4-6, 8-11, Lk 3:1-6

Luke 3:1-6  World English Bible

1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. 3 He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

‘Make ready the way of the Lord.

Make his paths straight.

5 Every valley will be filled.

Every mountain and hill will be brought low.

The crooked will become straight,

and the rough ways smooth.

6 All flesh will see God’s salvation.’ ”*

The path of every man leads through deserts and wildernesses.  Some deserts are literal, such as soldiers who return from foreign lands carrying the burden of physical or psychological injuries.  Some deserts are more metaphorical – periods of joblessness, sickness, mental illness, grief, loneliness, anxiety, turmoil, doubt, loss of faith, and so on.  The worst deserts, it seems, are the ones of our own making – the horrible situations we create through our own mistakes.  Because if we learn anything at all from them, these desert sands are made even more harsh by guilt and shame.

But, in the words of the great explorer, author, pilot, and war hero Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, “What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.”  There is reason to see beauty and rejoice, even in the desert.  Because, deep beneath the sand there is an untapped aquifer.  Underneath the dried-up river bed, or inside a pile of stones, there is a cool puddle.  Somewhere over the next hill, there is an oasis with fruit, shade, and swaying trees.  And, here in our gospel reading today, into the desert there comes a voice proclaiming how to find and tap into that water.  There comes a voice announcing that there is a way out. 

But here’s the thing; we can’t rely on the navigator who steered us into the desert.  It doesn’t matter if that navigator is you, me, someone else, or just a bad set of circumstances.  What got us there can’t relieve our thirst or get us home.  There’s only one way to find the water, and only one path out.  In John 3:3-8 Jesus said, “unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom…‘You must be born anew.’…The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  Listen: “the wind blows where it wants to.”  The word for “wind” in the Greek is pneuma, which also means “spirit.”  The wind – the Holy Spirit – is invisible, it goes where it goes, and often we aren’t going to understand the why, where, and how.  We must follow wherever it leads. 

In other words, we can’t do what we want.  We have to do what God wants.

Let us then, brothers and sisters, listen to the words of Isaiah as proclaimed by John the Baptist.  “Make ready the way of the Lord.” Let’s always be ready to do it God’s way.  “Make his paths straight.” Let’s get his path straight in our hearts and minds and try to keep it that way.  And if we do that, we will find our way out – perhaps in this life, but with complete certainly in the next.  For “every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.  All flesh will see God’s salvation.”

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* 3:6 Isaiah 40:3-5

Recap, Log PT, and True Vigilance: Mettle Maker #434 and Holy Eucharist for 12/1/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #434: Mettlecraft Month 2024 FINAL

Mettlecraft Month is officially a wrap. That was fun and different — now it’s time to get back to our usual routine — with one important caveat. December is Spirit Month. We are going to do something really fun and different for Spirit Month — a volunteer or service project, a group outing or activity, something that is spirit-filled. Watch this space to play along.

Anyway, to wrap up Mettlecraft month we decided to play with the log — see video above-right. Try it at home! If you don’t have a few buddies and big ol’ log to use, just do the exercises solo with a 40 lb sandbag — that’s roughly what 1/3th of our little log weighs in at.

Log Exercises

• Log Presses (25 - over and back = 1)

• Log Squats (25)

• Log Clean & Press (25)

• Log Curls (25)

• Log Push-ups (25)

• Log Sit-ups (25)

• Log March (1/2 mile+)

If this week’s mettle maker was fun, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the First Sunday of Advent 12/1/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Jer 33:14-16, Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14, 1 Thes 3:12—4:2, Lk 21:25-28, 34-36

 Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 World English Bible

Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; 26 men fainting for fear and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”

34 “So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly. 35 For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth. 36 Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet. 38 All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus tells us to always be vigilant for his return and the preceding tribulations.  But what does vigilance mean?  Does it mean thinking, talking, and obsessing about it in a neurotic manner?

No.  What he wants us to do is something entirely the opposite of constantly thinking, talking, and obsessing.  This is harder for us to grasp than it must have been for his listeners two thousand years ago, because their lives were far more participatory.  The propositional and intellectual had not yet consumed their worldview.  Crime of all kinds was more prevalent; and since there were no phone alerts, news websites, or even newspapers, they had to be familiar with the people in their community, attuned to strange faces, acquainted with prominent citizens, and so on. Fishing, hunting, and shepherding flocks were common jobs, all of which require long periods of sitting or standing in peaceful attentiveness.  Every manufacturing task was manual and repetitive, which requires focus without tension.

Intellect actually stands in the way of success in these lines of work.  Good policemen and soldiers will tell you that the way to stay ahead of crime and violence is to be connected with, and attentive to, people, settings, communities, and situations.  Good hunters and fishermen will advise you to relax and use all of your senses to tune into the woods and the water.  The modern word for this way of being is “mindfulness,” which is really an awful term, because it seems to imply that the mind should be full, which is actually opposed to the meaning. Better words would be attentiveness, receptiveness, and contemplativeness. 

If we walk in the world in this way, we won’t feel the need to scan the news headlines looking for signs of the end times.  If we put our effort into being the sort of Christians we should be – loving our neighbors as ourselves and worshipping God – we’ll less likely to be distracted by this or that scandal, and less likely to be manipulated into outrage by the news stories that each new day inevitably brings.  Listen to what Jesus says.  He tells us to be careful or else our hearts will be bogged down by the day-to-day, our senses dulled by drunkenness, and our attention ensnared and entrapped in one of the common lusts of daily life – money, sex, power, creature comforts, and so on.  Listen to what St. Paul advises in our epistle reading: we must strengthen our hearts, abound in love for one another and for all, and strive to be blameless and holy.

If we follow these instructions, there’s no edginess, no anticipation, and no anxiety.  If we realize that all we need to do is be what we are called to be, we can relax in the peace of Christ.  If we are loving brothers and sisters in Christ and all will be well, come what may.

FM 21-20, Insomnia, NOTW, Mettle Maker #433 and Holy Eucharist for 11/24/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #433: Mettlecraft Month 2024 Week 4

Mettlecraft Month is in full swing —this year we’re facing survival, rescue, and mettle tests for self-defense readiness compiled from a variety of sources, including but not limited to Mark Hatmaker’s Black Box Program, various armed forces readiness tests, Native American traditions, survival exams, and so on.

• Distance learners and friends should face the challenges solo. Share links to photos and videos by email or in the comments.

• They are not competitive. The goal of these tests is simply to self-assess — to disabuse yourself of misconceptions and become aware of your actual capabilities.

• Modify, adapt, and overcome. “Do what you can, where your, with what you’ve got” (Theo. Roosevelt). This week it was raining, so we switched things up a bit to avoid getting people and equipment muddy. A little rain is okay, but nobody wants to hop in the car and drive home covered in mud! See video on above-right.

WEEK 4: Conditioning Exercise Drill #1 from FM 21-20 Department of the Army Field Manual “Physical Training” (1950).

Look, not everything we do around here is a resounding success. Sometimes we try things and they don’t work out. There has to be a dud in every box of firecrackers, and in my opinion, this was one of those. Seemed like a good idea at the time, so we tried it. I’ll never do this again. I don’t know what they were thinking in 1950, but this is just weird. There are quite a few awkward, back-killing exercises in this thing, interspersed with pointless stretches and massive numbers of Push-ups (64 slow, and narrow old-school ones). But you know what, maybe it’s right up your alley. Click the pic on the right for more details:

Conditioning Exercise Drill #1 from FM 21-20 (All counts 16)

1. High Jumper

2. Bend and Reach

3. Squat Thrust

4. Rowing Exercise and Bottoms Up

5. Squat Bender

6. Push Up

7. Side Bender

8. Body Twist and Turn and Bounce

9. Squat Jumper

10. Trunk Twister

11. Stationary Run

12. Eight Count Push-up

    Bonus Homework: The Silent Insomniac Test. This comes from Mark Hatmaker’s Indigenous Ability Blog. “Can you for 3-days straight set your alarm for 3:08 AM [or whatever time that fits your shift schedule] wake-up at once [no snooze button] get on your feet and remain standing or walking around for an entire ¼ of an hour? No texting, phone checking, reading. Just you facing the prospect of waking up in the middle of the night and simply being up. Curiously, in our surveys this is one of our tests that even the most rock-solid “Hoo-aahs!” hate completing. Which means, it must be important.”

    If this week’s mettle maker was fun, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

---

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 the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, 11/24/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Dn 7:13-14, Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5, Rv 1:5-8, Jn 18:33b-37

John 18:33b-37 World English Bible

Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”

34 Jesus answered him, “Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?”

35 Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”

36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”

37 Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Churches are grouped together into dioceses, consistories, classis, presbyteries, synods, etc. depending on the denomination, led by bishops and elders.  Denominations are joined in communions, or associations of churches, headed by patriarchs and leaders of various kinds – the Roman Catholic Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury who leads Church of England, the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and so on.  There is a chain of command, a hierarchy, that stacks up like a pyramid. 

That’s what people do.  Everywhere human beings go, we create pyramidal reporting structures.  The most powerful and authoritative person up at the top delegates some of his or her authority to leaders of smaller and smaller divisions, right on down the line.  Power and authority trickle down.  In the army, generals lead divisions and brigades; brigades are divided into regiments led by colonels, which are divided into companies led by majors, etc. all the way down to platoons led by lieutenants.

Every human organization follows this model.  And that’s great, as far as it goes.  Certainly, we should conform our families, communities, states, and nations, as much as humanly possible, to God’s expectations.  Certainly, we should arrange our churches into hierarchies.  But we must guard against thinking that God’s Kingdom is constructed like a human hierarchy.  Christ’s Kingdom is not a church or a nation-state.

If that’s what it was, Jesus would’ve described it in human terms.  But he didn’t do that.  Nowhere in the gospels does Jesus explain precisely what the Kingdom is.  Instead he speaks of it only in parables.  And in today’s Gospel reading he specifically says, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”

What Jesus has in mind is an entirely different arrangement.  Jesus is not a general who appoints colonels, majors, and captains to administer his authority and carry out his orders.  His authority is not delegated.  It is not divided.  It does not trickle down.  No, his kingship penetrates from within.  It comes from the inside out.  As St. Paul says in Colossians 1:15-20,

5 He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. 18 He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.

Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ is the King of the Universe indeed.  And how do we find entry into his Kingdom, which is at once everywhere and nowhere, both in the heavens and on earth, made up both the visible and invisible?  Well, dear ones, Jesus said that all we need to do is  “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.  Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”  (Matthew 7:7-8, 21)

Mettle Maker #432 and Holy Eucharist for 11/17/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #432: Mettlecraft Month 2024 Week 3

Mettlecraft Month is in full swing —this year we’re facing survival, rescue, and mettle tests for self-defense readiness compiled from a variety of sources, including but not limited to Mark Hatmaker’s Black Box Program, various armed forces readiness tests, Native American traditions, survival exams, and so on.

• Distance learners and friends should face the challenges solo. Share links to photos and videos by email or in the comments.

• They are not competitive. The goal of these tests is simply to self-assess — to disabuse yourself of misconceptions and become aware of your actual capabilities.

• Modify, adapt, and overcome. “Do what you can, where your, with what you’ve got” (Theo. Roosevelt). This week it was raining, so we switched things up a bit to avoid getting people and equipment muddy. A little rain is okay, but nobody wants to hop in the car and drive home covered in mud! See video on above-right.

WEEK 3

1. 48 sit-ups in 2 minutes.

2. Standing Broad Jump your height.

3. Complete a 25 meter underwater swim on one breath. To approximate this test this on dry land, walk 100 yards on a single breath.

4. Square Choke hang for 1 minutes. Put your arms around your hanging heavy bag, grab in a Square Choke, pick up your feet, and hang.

5. Buddy Drag an adult 25 yards.

6. 25 Hand-Release Push-ups in 2 minutes. At the bottom of each Push-up, lift hands off the floor and reset.

7. Run 1 mile while carrying a 45 lb weight. Females and older folks, sub a 25 weight, or complete a POW Run with fingertips touching ears. Bum knees? Just carry the weight while walking.

8. Bonus Homework: Detachment test. For the next 24 hours, make a concerted effort not to be ruled by your emotions. This is a universal idea, even in fiction. Jedi Knights understand that extreme emotions are an entry to “the dark side.” In Zen Buddhism the goal is to avoid “attachments.” In Christianity, we seek to avoid being ruled by our passions. A great example is the recent presidential election in the USA. Many people were very depressed or pumped up by the results. If given free reign, extreme emotions on this topic, whether your candidate won or lost, could lead to alienation from relatives, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Resentment, loathing, and anger at the choices of others could stew. Feelings of superiority could lead to a lack of empathy. It’s perfectly normal and healthy to feel joy when things go your way, or sadness when they don’t. But if we allow ourselves to be ruled by it? Not good! Jesus told us to be above worldly things. He said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) As much as we can, given our mortal limitations, we too need to overcome the world! And remember, “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

   If this week’s mettle maker was fun, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

---

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 the Thirty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time, 11/17/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Dn 12:1-3, Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11, Heb 10:11-14, 18, Mk 13:24-32

Mark 13:24-32 World English Bible

Jesus said when asked about the day and time of the return of the Kingdom,

“But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, 25 the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.* 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

28 “Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near; 29 even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors. 30 Most certainly I say to you, this generation‡ will not pass away until all these things happen. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 “But of that day or that hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don’t know when the time is.”

In our gospel reading from today, Jesus warns us against attempting to predict the return of the kingdom.  He will do so again in the book of Acts 1:7.  The disciples ask him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?”  And he says to them, “It isn’t for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has set within his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”  In other words, don’t trouble yourself with exact dates and times.  That’s not your business – that’s Heavenly Father’s business.  Just accept your responsibility to carry the word to all the ends of the earth and let God the Father worry about dates and times.

And yet, from the very beginning, Christians have speculated on the date of Jesus’ return.  Despite being told not to worry about it, many Christians have been so obsessed with the date that they’ve poured through the Bible looking for clues for millennia.  They’ve even resorted to using psychics and seers, astrology and numerology – occult methods condemned by the church fathers and forbidden in the Bible! – to try and predict the date of the coming of the kingdom.  New Protestant denominations, like the Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses have arisen around such prophecies.  Milennial cults have even sprung up around various predictors and predictions, such as David Koresh and the Branch Davidians.

But we should be staunch in our rejection of these ideas in all their forms.  As the Roman Catholic Catechism says,

The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgement. (676)

In simple terms, the return of the Kingdom is not in time.  It happens outside history, and is thus impossible to predict.  The Kingdom of God is eternal.  Asking when the Kingdom of God will come is like asking, “When will 2+2=4?”  The Kingdom is, like  mathematics, a metaphysical truth – a metaphysical truth of such an entirely higher order that, unlike algebra, it is all but impossible to mortal minds to grasp.

The endeavor to pin a date on the return of the kingdom is not only forbidden, it pushes the immediacy and beauty of Christian life into some distant future.  It drains away the beauty of the eternal.  Engaging in this sort of thing is like a culinary expert who focuses on food chemistry rather than on making delicious food.  It is like a painter or sculptor who focuses on pigment science or metallurgy rather than on making beautiful art.

Jesus said in Luke 17:20-21, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” Let us, brothers and sisters, follow Jesus’ command and attend to the task at hand.  Let us be, as Jesus has commanded us, in the moment, attentive, alert, and prayerful.  Let us have faith in him, do his will, and stand fast.  If we do this, we can be in the kingdom now, in the life to come, eternally, and forevermore.

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* 13:25 Isaiah 13:10; 34:4

‡ 13:30 The word translated “generation” (genea) could also be translated “race”, “family”, or “people”.

Mettle Maker #431 and Holy Eucharist for 11/10/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #431: Mettlecraft Month 2024 Week 2

Rope Hang for 1 min.

Ice water pain test, 3 mins.

Rope Hang 1 min.

Mettlecraft Month is in full swing — see a few photos from last week on the right. This year we’re going to face self-defense and rescue readiness tests, punctuated by extra fitness challenges — new challenges every week. At the club in Richmond, VA, each week we’re going face 7 challenges plush a bonus homework challenge. Distance learners and friends are encouraged to face the challenges solo — please share links to your personal photos and videos, either by email or in the comments.

These challenges have been compiled from a variety of sources. They come from either Mark Hatmaker’s Black Box Program, various armed forces readiness tests, Native American traditions, survival exams, and so on.

They are not competitive. Don't keep score. The goal of these tests is simply to self-assess — to disabuse yourself of misconceptions and become aware of your actual capabilities.

WEEK 2

1. Drag a 100 lb weight 50 yards in 30 seconds.

2. Vertical jump 20”, Females 16”.

3. Complete a 500 meter dry swim. Set timer for 8 minutes and complete sets of alternating Prison Push-ups, Swimmers (belly down, arms and legs moving), Flutter Kicks, and Front Plank.

4. Get 8 Pull-ups in 2 minutes. If you can’t do Pull-ups, do Chin-ups. If you can’t do Chin-ups, do Knee Tucks.

5. Ranger Roll a fallen comrade and carry him/her 25 yards. If you can’t do Ranger Roll, do a Fireman’s Carry or Buddy Drag.

6. Balance on a log for 1 minute. If you don’t have a log, do a one-foot stand on a yoga block or similar.

7. Run 1 mile while carrying a 45 lb weight. Don’t use an awkward weight, like a 20 kg plate, sandbag, etc. not a backpack or weighted vest.

8. Bonus Homework: Agape test. Agape is benevolent, selfless love that desires the good of others (see this week’s homily below). For one day, sun-up to sundown, say “yes” with a smile to any request you receive from your family, friends, or fellow man. Tell no one about the test, nor about what you’ve done.

   If this week’s mettle maker is fun, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

---

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 the Thirty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time, 11/10/24 – Father Mitch

 Readings: 1 Kgs 17:10-16, Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10, Heb 9:24-28, Mk 12:38-44

Mark 12:38-44 World English Bible

In his teaching Jesus said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces, 39 and to get the best seats in the synagogues and the best places at feasts, 40 those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

41 Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. 42 A poor widow came and she cast in two small brass coins,† which equal a quadrans coin.‡ 43 He called his disciples to himself and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, 44 for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”

Following God’s command, Elijah goes into the wilderness and stays by a seasonal creek named Cherith.  There he’s fed by the ravens and drinks from the stream.  When it dries up, God sends him to Zarephath, telling him that a widow will care for him there.

 Elijah comes upon the woman and asks for water and bread.  She replies, “As the LORD, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar.”  Note she says, “your God.”  She is not a Jew but a gentile and a foreigner.  And yet she has faith; so much faith that she gives Elijah what she believes to be the very last of her food.  And by faith her flour bin never grows empty and her jug of oil never runs dry.

Look, brothers and sisters, for the emerging pattern. Perhaps the widow of Zarephath, a pagan, perceives a corner of the pattern in its earliest stage.  A foreign holy man unlike the pagan ones to which she is accustomed comes to her.  This is no rich temple priest in his finery.  This is a prophet wandering in wild places, giving up comforts, risking life and limb to follow his God’s commands.  Perhaps she has begun to hear the new story spreading across the ancient world, coming out of the Hebrew tradition – the story of a new and different God.  Unlike the pagan gods and goddesses who look, think, and act like people, complete with faults, foibles and squabbles, almost as likely to curse as they are to bless, the invisible Hebrew God walks with his people every step of the way, protecting, guiding, and leading them.  He is not a chaotic mishmash of demi-human forces, but a single, all knowing, all powerful, always present God who sustains all of creation.

But even if the widow of Zarephath doesn’t see the emerging pattern, we can.  We can because we have another example in our gospel reading from Mark.  Like the widow who helped Elijah, this widow holds nothing back.  Jesus says, that she, “gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”  This kind of selfless giving was as extremely rare then as it is today.  It was as virtually unheard of in the ancient world as it is in our modern one.  And yet the Judeo-Christian tradition sets it up as the ideal pattern of behavior. 

That’s remarkable.  No philosophical tradition before or since has suggested that selflessness is normal.  It’s a truly unique view.  But what’s even more shocking and extreme is that God himself steps into the pattern.  In the person of Jesus Christ, God enters into his creation and does what both widows have done.  He’s God.  He lacks nothing.  He could give out of his abundance as the scribes and rich folks did.  But no, he doesn’t.  God does something incredibly mind-bending and radical.

He doesn’t give out of his abundance.  Like the widow in the temple, he holds nothing back.  Like the widow of Zarephath, he pours out his jug and empties his bin.  And he takes giving even further, all the way to the ultimate extremity, giving up not just his money or his food, but even his very nature, relinquishing his deity to become a mortal man.  And then, retaining absolutely nothing for himself, he gives up his life, spreading his body on a cross.

He sacrifices everything to save everyone. 

————————————————————-

† 12:42 literally, lepta (or widow’s mites). Lepta are very small brass coins worth half a quadrans each, which is a quarter of the copper assarion. Lepta are worth less than 1% of an agricultural worker’s daily wages.

‡ 12:42 A quadrans is a coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius. A denarius is about one day’s wages for an agricultural laborer.

Mettle Maker #430 and Holy Eucharist for 11/3/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #430: Mettlecraft Month 2024 Week 1

At Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble, November is always Mettlecraft Month! This year we’re going to face self-defense and rescue readiness tests, punctuated by extra fitness challenges — new challenges every week. At the club in Richmond, VA, each week we’re going face 7 challenges together and (if desired) a bonus challenge as homework.

DISTANCE LEARNERS and FRIENDS are encouraged to FACE THE CHALLENGES SOLO! Follow along — SHARE LINKS to videos and blogs — play the HOME GAME!

These challenges have been compiled from a variety of sources. They come from either Mark Hatmaker’s Black Box Program, various armed forces readiness tests, Native American traditions, survival exams, and so on.

They are not competive. Don't keep score. The goal of these tests is simply to self-assess — to disabuse yourself of misconceptions and become aware of your actual capabilities.

WEEK 1

1. Run at top speed for 200 yards without stopping.

2. Jump or vault waist high.

3. Hold your breath for 1 minute (max 5 second prep). Simulates boat or vehicle crash in water.

4. 1 minute rope hang for self-rescue.

5. Fireman’s Carry an adult 25 yards

6. Ice water plunge pain test. Submerge arm and hand in ice water — hold it for 3 minutes — no longer! — and you’re good to go.

7. Apache run. Fill mouth with water and run at least 1/2 mile (1 mile if possible) without spitting or swallowing. This is a composure test. Many report feeling like they are going to panic, suffocate, or choke.

8. Bonus Homework: Nonconformity Test. In a busy, populous location, such as in a shopping mall, grocery store, or public park, spontaneously lay down on your back and look up at the ceiling. If people come and ask if you’re okay, say “Yeah, I’m fine, I just decided to see what things look like from down here.” Stay there for exactly one minute, no matter how awkward you feel. Being a good and moral person, as well as being able to take action to defend oneself and others, sometimes requires the ability to refuse to conform. We need to be able to stand up for what’s right, and take action, even when people might think we are loopy, and/or everyone else is “going with the flow.”

If this week’s mettle maker is fun, consider signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development — sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the Thirty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time, 11/3/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Dt 6:2-6, Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51, Heb 7:23-28, Mk 12:28b-34

Mark 12:28b-34 World English Bible

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”

29 Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’* This is the first commandment. 31 The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’* There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he; 33 and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.”

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells the scribe who answered wisely concerning the greatest commandment, “You re not far from the Kingdom of God.”  What do we mean when we use the term, “Kingdom of God” or refer to “God’s Kingdom?”  Around the year 233 AD, some 1,800 years ago, the church father Origen, quoting the Lord’s Prayer and Luke 17:20-21, said,

“According to the word of our Lord and Savior, the Kingdom of God does not come observably, nor shall men say ‘Lo it is here’, or ‘Lo is it there’, but the Kingdom of God is within us; for the utterance is exceedingly near in our mouth and in our heart. It is therefore plain that he who prays for the coming of the kingdom of God prays with good reason for rising and fruit bearing and perfecting of God’s kingdom within him.”

 The idea that Origen is laying out, that the Kingdom is a state of mind or a condition of the heart, is born out by many parables, such as the growing seed (Mark 4:26, Matthew 21:43), the mustard seed, the yeast, and so on.  At the same time, it’s clear that there is a literal element to the term “Kingdom of God” (or “Kingdom of Heaven” in the Gospel of Matthew).  John the Baptist seems to proclaim an immanently arriving set of physical circumstances, as does Jesus himself in Mark 1:15 when he proclaims, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”  Jesus seems also to be speaking of a future time and place when he says, “Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in God’s Kingdom.” (Mark 14:25).  Clearly the thief beside Jesus at the Crucifixion was thinking of a concrete place and time when he said, "Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom."

What emerges is a definition of the Kingdom that is extremely nuanced and complex.  According to the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1910,

 “It is only by realizing these shades of meaning that we can do justice to the parables of the kingdom with their endless variety…The kingdom of God means, then, the ruling of God in our hearts; it means those principles which separate us off from the kingdom of the world and the devil; it means the benign sway of grace; it means the Church as that Divine institution whereby we may make sure of attaining the spirit of Christ and so win that ultimate kingdom of God Where He reigns without end in "the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God" (Revelation 21:2).”¹

 In the final analysis, perhaps we should regard the Kingdom as something so transcendent that it cannot be apprehended by merely mortal conceptual, intellectual, and cognitive abilities.

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* 12:26 Exodus 3:6

* 12:30 Deuteronomy 6:4-5

* 12:31 Leviticus 19:18

¹  Pope, H. (1910). Kingdom of God. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08646a.htm

7th Annual Mettlecraft Month 2024 and Homily for All Saints' Day 11/1/24

Introduction to 7th Annual Mettlecraft Month 2024

It’s November and Mettlecraft Month is here! This month we’re going to be exploring self-defense readiness by facing a number of interesting physical, mental, and spiritual tests — some of which will require homework. Seven new challenges each and every week! Can you carry an injured buddy 100 yards? How’s your pain tolerance? Can you perform a ranger roll? You won’t believe what we have in store for you this year!

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

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

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

Recaps of Previous Mettlecraft Months

6th Annual Mettlecraft Month 2023

5th Annual Mettlecraft Month 2022

4th Annual Mettlecraft Month 2021

3rd Annual Mettlecraft Month 2020

2nd Annual Mettlecraft Month 2019

1st Annual Mettlecraft Month 2018

Homily for All Saints’ Day, 11/1/24 – Father Mitch Mitch

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

Mark 10:46-52 World English Bible

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

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.*

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they shall be comforted.*

5 Blessed are the gentle,

for they shall inherit the earth.†*

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they shall be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

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

The modern world, and the United States especially, has lost touch with the saints.  Whose fault is that?  Well, it’s our fault of course.  We do not talk about them.  We do not refute the falsehoods that this culture propagates concerning them.  We dodge our responsibility to stand up for them.

They say that all Christians are saints, and none deserve holidays.  But do all Christians volunteer to die in the place of another as St. Maximilian Kolbe did?  Do all Christians spend their lives in the dirtiest hell-holes on earth, ministering to the sick, the homeless and the destitute as St. Teresa of Calcutta did?

They say that we worship the saints.  But it would be more accurate to say, “No, this culture worships politicians, sports figures, money, fame, sex and power while humble Christians seek to emulate the selfless behaviors of the saints.”  Saints like the teenage princess St. Catherine, who could’ve lived a comfortable and easy existence, but chose instead to denounce the cruelties of Emperor Maxentius and was beheaded for her courage.  Or St. Francis, the rich and youthful soldier who renounced his money and fame to become a wandering monk and preacher, living a life of radical poverty and almsgiving, ultimately dying penniless and blind.

They say the miracles performed by the saints are absurd. And yet the standards by which sainthood is conferred are so restrictive, and require so much certification, that it can take centuries for investigations to be completed – investigations that require scientific evidence, eyewitness testimony, and formal review by dozens of councils and other ecclesiastical authorities.  If we can agree that courts of law can arrive at the truth thousands of times a day all across our great country, we should be able to agree that ecclesiastical courts can certify the truth of saintly miracles. 

But when all is said and done, all of this back-and-forth about the validity of saints – their reverence, their miracles, and all of that – is wide of the mark.  That is not why we celebrate All Saints Day. 

Saints matter deeply, and this holiday is so important, because saints demonstrate what it looks like when Christians truly attempt to live the precepts that Christ lays out in Matthew 5, our gospel reading for today.  As Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”  Saints somehow manage to prove both the truth and falsehood contained in Chesterton’s remark.  Most Christians haven’t tried, true enough; but the saints have indeed, and their lives are proof of the results.

As St. Gregory the Wonder Worker said in his famous homily called “On All the Saints,” the saints have “shown their power, leaping with joy in the presence of death, laughing at the sword, making sport of the wrath of princes, grasping at death as the producer of deathlessness, making victory their own by their fall, through the body taking their leap to heaven, suffering their members to be scattered abroad in order that they might hold their souls, and, bursting the bars of life, that they might open the gates of heaven.” 

* 5:3 Isaiah 57:15; 66:2

* 5:4 Isaiah 61:2; 66:10,13

† 5:5 or, land.

* 5:5 Psalms 37:11

Heroes and Villains: Mettle Maker #429 and Holy Eucharist for 10/27/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle maker #429: Heroes and Villains

I’m sick and tired of the race to make heroes out of villains and villains out of heroes — the Great Greying that’s been ongoing for the last 80 years or so, starting slow in the aftermath of World War II, getting traction in the 1960s, and barreling out of control like a runaway train ever since. By “greying” I’m referring to the way in which, in the old westerns, the good guys wore white hats and bad guys wore black ones. At some point it became cool to smash our movies and TV shows with the sledge of cynicism and to stick grey hats on everybody.

If I see one more story about a corrupt cop, immoral lawyer, or depraved priest, my head’s going to explode. That’s one of the reasons why I like the show Blue Bloods so much. Cops and priests are portrayed positively, the villains are villains. and good guys are good guys — and the humanity of the good guys is displayed not by making them partially villainous, but by showing their humanity and good intentions. Also, Tom Selleck is the man.

Anyway, all of this came to mind because of the passing of the great Ron Ely, star of several great TV series including Tarzan, Sea Hunt, and The Aquanauts, and the erstwhile movie Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze. I admit it, it’s an awful movie. But somehow it rises above its camp and silliness and, maybe because of the Doc Savage code scene (see photo below) it is one of my favorites.

“Let us strive every moment of our lives to make ourselves better and better to the best of our ability. So that all may profit by it. Let us think of the right, and render our assistance to all who may need it, with no regard to anything but justice. Let us take what comes with a smile, without loss of courage. Let us be considerate of our country, our fellow citizens, and our associates in everything that we say and do. Let us do right to all, and wrong no man.” ~Ron Ely as pulp hero Doc Savage

Ely was a 6’4” dimpled Texan brick of a man, who could be as tough or as gentle as a role required. In real life, when tragedy ripped his life apart, he didn’t descend into fatalism. A strong man, he persevered in private, outside the public eye.

Just what the world needs now, I’d say — more heroes and less villains — in fiction, yes, but in real life far more.

Are you being a hero? If not, why not? Would you like to try? How about signing up for a totally free mind-body-spirit program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development? Sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time, 10/27/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Jer 31:7-9, Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6, Heb 5:1-6, Mk 10:46-52

Mark 10:46-52 World English Bible

46 They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he cried out much more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stood still and said, “Call him.”

They called the blind man, saying to him, “Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!”

50 He, casting away his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.

51 Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The blind man said to him, “Rabboni,† that I may see again.”

52 Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.

Theology is a popular subject of discussion.  We delight in debating the nature of God and his Creation or arguing about whether we are saved by grace or by works.  We love to fight over the means of salvation.  Some of us are monergists, who believe that we are saved by faith and the Holy Ghost alone, while others are pelagians who believe people can save themselves through works and the power of human will.

In the end however, as we see in today's gospel reading, these debates are dissolved in the encounter with Christ.

When we see him for who he is, all of the quibbling and debating is silenced, replaced by worship and awe.  This is what happens here in Mark.  Jesus is walking down the street and a blind man named Bartimaeus begs to be healed.  Perhaps this is his real name, given to him by God to make a point; or perhaps St. Mark gives this man, who is nameless in the other gospels, an unusual Greek name to make a point.  Either way, the name Bartimaeus is important.  It means "Son of Timaeus," and Timeaus is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, a very heavy and complex book of Greek theology.    

Bartimaeus is blind -- blinded by complex theology and philosophical concepts -- and begging to receive a greater kind of understanding. He longs for something more than just ideas, something deeper than mere argument, stale jargon, and dry, logical discourse.  He doesn’t call out to a man.  He doesn’t call out to Jesus, son of Joseph.  No, Bartimaeus calls out to the Messiah, the Son of David, saying "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."

Bartimaeus doesn’t want to talk to a man.  He isn’t looking for more of the same old stale, intellectual insight.  That’s why he calls out to Jesus, Son of David.  He is groping in blindness for something more.  He is seeking a redeemer.  The people thereabout tell him to be silent.  ‘Just be like everybody else,’ they say to him.  ‘Be content with a human, logical understanding of God.’  But no, Bartimaeus keeps calling out, "Son of David, have pity on me."

Jesus hears Bartimaeus and tells the others to call him near.  Bartimaeus gets up and throws off his cloak.  A man's cloak is his outer garment, his ego -- it's what he uses to display his wealth, his status, and his role in society.  Throwing away his outer shell, he comes to Jesus, and by his faith Jesus heals him.

And now Bartimaeus can really see.  He sees Jesus the Messiah, the Healer, God Incarnate.  In that encounter, all debates are silenced. In a concept called synergism, salvation is revealed to be a process in which God and man cooperate.  Salvation is not by faith and faith alone, not by God’s grace and his grace alone, nor by our works and our works alone.  All three are required in harmony.  Blind and helpless, incapable of finding our way toward salvation, we call out to God in worship, recognizing that only he can save us.  Jesus extends his hand.  We take it and walk with him.  By him we are healed.

Seeing the world anew, we go and do his work.

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† 10:51 Rabboni is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for “great teacher.”

Danger: Mettle Maker #428 and a Homily

Danger: Mettle Maker #428 and a Homily (Mark 10:35-45)

Howdy crew,

I’m out camping with my youngest grandson, and I’m writing this little missive from the road. So pardon the lack of fancy links, flowery expositions, and such. I’ll get right to it.

Injuries are a part of martial arts. Do it long enough and you’re gonna get hurt. The other night one of the RVA crew got a dent. Not badly — no blood, no ambulance, nothing like that — a mild hyperextension of an elbow that will likely heal just fine with a few days of RICE. And because we’re all friends, nobody got hot under the collar or anything. Just apologies and regrets.

But.

Just because most martial arts injuries are minor doesn’t mean that they’re aren’t dangerous. And there are things we can do to increase or decrease, instigate or mitigate, the dangers. Dangerous how? Injuries cause people to leave clubs, switch to other martial arts, or quit martial arts altogether. And, under the right circumstances. injuries can result in loss of temper and very dangerous outbursts (I’ve seen it happen, unfortunately).

Chuck Norris got hurt while practicing Judo. That’s why he switched to Tang Soo Do. I stopped doing Shooto when I got my ribs separated. I knew an eye surgeon who quit martial arts because he feared a permanent hand injury that could end his ability to operate. Back in the old days of our club, before we put the current rules in place, we had some…dust-ups, we’ll call them.

Rule #1: Nobody gets hurt.

This is why, here at Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble we don’t allow “open sparring” or “drop-in sparring” with people who aren’t regular attendees. We only spar with friends who we’ve gotten to know and trust.

Getting a minor injury from a friend is one thing. You might persevere through that. And you’ll probably be able to maintain your cool about it. But if you get dinked up by a virtual stranger, your temper is more likely to flare, and you’re more likely to go somewhere that feels less like shark infested waters.

So stick to the rules. No sparring until yellow bandana, and no sparring with strangers. That’s my two cents.

And below is my homily on the gospel reading for today, which is Mark 10:34-45.

Take care and God Bless,

Mitch+

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Homily for the Twenty-ninth Sunday of Ordinary Time, 10/20/24 – Father Mitch

 Readings: Is 53:10-11, Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22, Heb 4:14-16, Mk 10:35-45

 Mark 10:35-45  World English Bible

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came near to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we will ask.”

36 He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”

37 They said to him, “Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left hand, in your glory.”

38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”

39 They said to him, “We are able.”

Jesus said to them, “You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; 40 but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard it, they began to be indignant toward James and John.

42 Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that they who are recognized as rulers over the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 Whoever of you wants to become first among you shall be bondservant of all. 45 For the Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 The two brothers James and John, called in today’s reading "the sons of Zebedee," were named by Christ the "sons of thunder" in Mark 3:17.  Before they were called, they earned a living as fishermen with their father.  In today’s reading they ask to be seated at Jesus’ right and left hand but really have no idea what they are asking.  As the apostles do time and time again in the gospels, they are clueless about the things Jesus tells them regarding his ultimate destiny – his Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. 

In response to their request, Jesus asks, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”  They reply, “We are able” to which Jesus says, “You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you shall be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with.”  And truly, as we know, they are able, and they are baptized.  James, in dying a martyr, drinks the cup of death, while John, in writing his gospel, is baptized by immersion in the Word of God.

Indeed, the faith was strong in both James and John, and great were the plans God had for them.  But Jesus said to them, “to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared.”  As we know by looking at early Christian art, those positions were already spoken for.  Traditional icons always picture his mother St. Mary on his right and St. John the Baptist on his left.

St. James is of course James the Great, one of the three saints – Peter, James, and John – who were the pillars of the early church.  James and John, with Peter, were the only ones present at many of the key events in the gospels, including the raising of Jairus's daughter, the Transfiguration, and the agony in the garden of Gethsemani.  In Acts 12:1, we learn that James was the first of the apostles to be martyred – and the only apostle whose death is specifically mentioned in the New Testament.  He was put to death by the order of King Herod at the edge of a sword.  The patron saint of Spain, his remains are held in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, a province of Spain.

St. John, from the early days of the church until the Middle Ages, was thought by the Church Fathers and all believers to be the author of the Gospel of John, the three Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation – meaning that the John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder, and the Beloved Disciple were taken to be one and the same.  Nowadays many secular and Christian scholars doubt that one man wrote all these books, the argument being that they are too divergent in style, tone, and theme.  Another argument is that the writing in the Gospel of John is too fine, and the theology to complex, to have been written by a lowly fisherman.

The skeptics, it seems, have not considered the many impossible feats achieved by the apostles, men with little education, no assets, and no political or social clout.  Laboring for decades, crisscrossing the known world without pay and under constant threat of persecution, they recruited disciples to hand copy bibles in the days before the printing press, collected donations to support the widows and children of the executed and the imprisoned, converted people to the faith, debated pagan scholars, built home churches, settled disputes, handled, administrated, managed, supervised, trained and educated hundreds of thousands of people.  Superhuman feats were their bread and butter.

James and John achieved great things because they labored in humble dedication, not working for themselves, but following Jesus’ instruction to lead in a new way.  They did not operate as authoritarian commanders but rather as servants and supporters, doing more and achieving more through love and cooperation.  Christian minds and hands, driven by powerful faith, are capable great things.  Let us go and do likewise!

Visible or Invisible: Mettle Maker #427 and Holy Eucharist for 10/13/24

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Mettle maker #427: Visisble or Invisible?

I sometimes struggle with expressing some of the things that are in my heart. What is important? What’s not important? How much of what goes into “making the sausage” here at Heritage Arts should I share? Should I be frank about matters of faith, or hold my tongue so as not to offend those who lack faith? Should I be honest about the obstacles and struggles faced by myself and the charity, or be a proper stoic?

I faced some of those questions once more as I was rewriting the Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble Student Handbook. Of particular concern was the student oath. Should I explain it’s true origin and meaning? Or should I gloss over it and just let it sit there like a bump on a log, unappealing to people of faith and confusing to the purely materialists?

Providentially, this week’s readings for the twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, concerned this precise issue — how to discern the importance of the material-temporal and the immaterial-eternal.

By the light of the weekly readings and the flaming Sword of Truth, I finished up the re-write of the new student handbook with total candor — click the photo to give it a thorough read.

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Homily for the Twenty-eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time, 10/13/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Wis 7:7-11, Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17, Heb 4:12-13, Mk 10:17-30 

Mark 10:17-30 World English Bible

17 As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’ ”*

20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”

21 Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.”

22 But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!”

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.”

26 They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?”

27 Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”

28 Peter began to tell him, “Behold, we have left all and have followed you.”

29 Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, 30 but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

In today’s readings we receive a clear message about discernment between the material, visible world and the invisible, spiritual realm.  We read in the book of Wisdom that the ability to discern what is truly valuable is of greater value than gold, silver, and gems, that it is in fact priceless.  We also learn that, through prayer, this discernment is available to us all.

Then, in Hebrews, we read that this discernment is like a sword – but more powerful than any material sword – and able to penetrate to the very heart of any issue, “penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”  I confess I’ve always been very struck with this image, so much so that the Latin motto of my charity Heritage Arts is Ex Gladio Scientia, which means “From the Sword comes Knowledge.” The Sword of Discernment has been given to us by Christ both here in Hebrews and in Matthew 10:34-36 when our Lord says, “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword” encouraging us to put God’s truth and righteousness above political, social, familial, and economic concerns – once again elevating the invisible-eternal above the visible-temporal.

Speaking more plainly than ever, in today’s Gospel reading Jesus tells us that even though it is impossible for us to fully step beyond worldly needs and concerns, we must make the effort.  It’s not the fact of being rich that’s the problem.  It’s not the money itself, the physical assets, that locks the doors.  It isn’t the paper money that shuts us out.  No, it is the act of putting worldly pursuits above the spiritual quest that separates us from God’s kingdom.  It’s obsession with materialistic concerns that prevents us from resting in Christ’s presence now and forever – the inner meaning of the term “kingdom of God.”

We are human.  At virtually every moment of every day, workaday concerns and physical needs are demanding our attention – hunger, thirst, worry, disaster, pain, disappointment, unexpected expenses, malfunctioning cars, homes, and computers, and on, and on, and on. It’s impossible to demote those things in importance and focus on God without fail.  But the good news we share is that, as our God and Lord Jesus has said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”

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* 10:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deuteronomy 5:16-20

SBX Flashback: Mettle Maker #426 and Holy Eucharist for 10/6/24

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Mettle maker #426: SBX Flashback

Back in the day (the late 90s) I used to teach a martial fitness course for City of Richmond Recs and Parks. The city supplied no equipment whatsoever, and there was nowhere to lock any up. So the only equipment we ever had was what we could store in my old station wagon oand haul in and out for each class.

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I like to write what we're doing on the cement in chalk, you know, so everybody can see it.

Now that we’re at the park, we’ve hit the big time: we have a whopping 16 cubic feet of storage — that’s a 2’ x 2’ x 4’ deck box. Twenty-five plus years later, we still have to make do with minimal equipment. But I don’t think we’re suffering that much. Here is the adorable little martial fitness training session I came up with the other night.

Shadowbox for 5 rounds of 3:00/1:00 (with plenty of kicks).† Then complete the following constitutional in a 9-set pyramid scheme (to lower the reps on the Shoulder Carries and the two Squeezes, do straight sets instead of pyramid sets):

1. Scarf Hold Switches (1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1)

2. Back Bridges (1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1)

3. Sprawls (1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1)

4. 25-yard Shoulder Carries (1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1)

5. Clocks (1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1)

6. Squeezes to failure (1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1)

7. Bottom Scissors squeezes to failure (1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1)

(See this video if you don’t know the exercises).

Let me know how it goes.

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† I’m not a big proponent of shadowboxing, especially for the very experienced, but it’s great for beginners, and a few rounds every now and then won’t hurt experienced folks.

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Homily for the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels, 10/6/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Exodus 23:20-26, Psalm 91:1-2,9-10,11-12, Acts 5:17-21a,25-32, Matthew 18:1-5,10

Mattew 18:1-5, 10 World English Bible

1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them 3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me.

10 See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.‡

Brothers and sisters, the subject of angels, guardian angels, and archangels is a subject of interest to us here at St. Barachiel Chapel because we take our name from Archangel Barachiel, the chief of the guardian angels.

In addition to attending God’s throne (Daniel 7:9-10) and acting as divine messengers, angels act as our guides and guardians.  As we read in Psalm 91, God “hath given his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Interpreting the many scriptural references to angels, St. Jerome said, “The dignity of a soul is so great, that each has a guardian angel from its birth” (Comm. in Matt., xviii, lib. II) and St. Ambrose said, "We should pray to the angels who are given to us as guardians" (De Viduis, ix).

An archangel is a chief angel, the leader of a group or subgroup of angels. Pronounced with a hard k rather than with a ch sound.  “Arch” comes from the Greek arkhos meaning “chief” or “leader” and “angel” comes from the Greek ángelos which means “messenger.”

Exactly how many archangels there are, and their exact names, is a matter of some debate.  Differences in opinion stem from differences in biblical canon.  If a denomination doesn’t acknowledge the validity of a book where an angel or archangel appears, the angel or archangel disappears along with it.

Therefore, prior to the Council of Rome in 745, the Roman Catholic church recognized seven archangels based on the list in 1 Enoch.¹  Since the 4th century, Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholics have numbered eight archangels, and each year they honor them on November 8th when they celebrate a holiday known as The Synaxis of the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts.² 

Most protestant denominations name only one archangel, St. Michael (because he is labeled as such in Jude 1:9).  But modern Anglicans, Lutherans, and many Methodists officially recognize four – St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and St. Uriel.  That said, St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church in Brighton, UK contains a series of stained-glass windows depicting a list of seven archangels that differs from both the Orthodox and the oldest Roman Catholic ones.³

Here at St. Barachiel Chapel, we reverence a composite list of thirteen archangels, made up of all the lists combined.  Those archangels are:

1. St. Michael (“who is like God”).  Since he is the commander of God’s host who makes war with the dragon (Rev 12:7) and who cast Lucifer from heaven, he is pictured crushing the devil beneath his foot.  In his left hand he holds a green date-tree branch, and in his right either a sword or a spear.  He appeared to Joshua at the taking of Jericho (Josh 5:13-16), protected Ananias, Azarias and Misail when they were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to worship idols (Dan 3:22-25), transported the Prophet Habbakuk from Judea to Babylon to give food to Daniel in the lions’ den (Dan. 14:33-37), and disputed with the devil over the body of Moses (Jude 1:9).

2. St. Gabriel (“the strength of God”).  He is God’s herald who announces the mysteries. He is pictured holding a branch from Paradise, presented by him to the Most Holy Virgin, or with a shining lantern in his right hand and with a mirror made of jasper in his left (Dan 8:16, Luke 1:26).

3. St. Raphael (“the healing of God”).  Carrying a jar of healing salve in his left hand, he leads Tobias with his right (Tobit 3:16, 5-8, and 12:15).

4. St. Uriel (“the fire or light of God”).  He is the enlightener of darkened minds who holds a sword in his right hand and in his left a fiery flame (3 Esdras 5:20)

5. St. Selaphiel (“the prayer of God”).  He leads the human race toward prayer, prays for mankind, and is pictured gazing downwards with hands folded in prayerful pose (3 Esdras 5:16).

6. St. Jehudiel (“the glorifying of God”).  He holds a crown in his right hand and a whip of three thongs in his left, urging the human race to glorify God by exerting themselves in good works, and promising them rewards and punishments as in accordance with their efforts.  (Tobit 12:15).

7. St. Barachiel (“the blessing of God”).  Leader of the guardian angels, often pictured holding a white rose or a basket of flowers.  He stands watch over the human race, pleading mercy for them before God, assigning a guardian angel to every individual, and according to God’s will, distributing God’s blessings for good deeds. (3 Enoch 14:4, 17:1)

8. St. Remiel (or Jeremiel, “the praise of God” or “the mercy of God”).  In his hands he holds the scales of justice.  (3 Esdras 4:36)

9. and 10. St. Raguel ("Friend of God” or “God shall pasture") and St. Saraqael (“God is my ruler”).  In 2 Enoch, these are the two archangels who transport Enoch back and forth to heaven.

11. St. Camael (“He who sees God”) Usually represented carrying a staff and a chalice.  Some believe this is the angel who wrestled with Jacob.

12. St. Jophiel (“Beauty of God”)  The angel thought to have driven Adam and Eve out of Eden, depicted holding a flaming sword.

13. St. Zadkiel (“Righteousness of God”) Believed to be the angel who held back Abraham’s arm from sacrificing his son Isaac.

The church fathers warn us against worshipping angels.  But when times are dark and difficult, we should be comforted by the knowledge that by God’s command, Holy Guardian Angels stand by us, protect us, inspire and direct us in the ways of God.  And we should be comfortable in asking them for help and aid.

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‡ 18:11 NU omits verse 11.

¹ The Roman Catholic Archangels, prior to the reforms of 745 AD, were St. Uriel, St. Raphael, St. Raguel, St. Michael, St. Saraqael, St. Gabriel, and St. Remiel

² The Orthodox archangels are St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, St. Uriel, St. Selaphiel, St. Jehudiel, St. Barachiel, and St. Jeremiel (also spelled Remiel)

³ The protestant archangels depicted in stained glass in St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church in Brighton, UK are St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, St. Uriel, St. Chamuel (also spelled Camael), St. Jophiel, and St. Zadkiel.

Humility Sandwich: Mettle Maker #425 and Holy Eucharist for 9/29/24

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

Mettle maker #425: Humility Sandwich

This week’s theme is humility, which is baked into both the mettle maker and the homily.

The mettle maker is Escape Plan Drill, which has been around since way back in 2016, making its original appearance in Mettle Maker #25. In the video I misspoke and said #145, but that’s just first appearance of the “humility sandwich” variant. Hey, nobody’s perfect.

Anyway, the drill is still as good now as it was then. What makes it good is that it shrinks to fit. You can use whatever calisthenics you like based on your needs and/or fitness level. And, since it’s an “as-many-as-you-can” type of drill, its difficulty increases with the fitness of the user.

Why do we call it “Humility Sandwich?” Because folks who think they’re super fit to fight are humbled by this seemingly innocent little drill.

Here’s how it works: Set timer for 1:00 intervals. Sprint for 1:00, Shadowbox or hit Heavy Bag for 1:00 then complete as many calisthenics reps as you can for 1:00. Repeat 4 more times for a total of 15 mins, taking as few 12-count breaks as you must in order to finish. Your 5 calisthenics are: Push-ups, Sprawls, Back Bridges, Get-ups, and Bear Walks. Try a bite and tell me if I’m wrong about the recipe. See the video above if you need clarification.

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Homily for the Twenty-sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time, 9/29/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Nm 11:25-29, Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14, Jas 5:1-6, Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 World English Bible

 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”

39 But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me. 40 For whoever is not against us is on our side. 41 For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.

42 “Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, † into the unquenchable fire. 45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, § into the fire that will never be quenched. 47 If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna‡ of fire, 48 ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’ *

How often have you heard someone say something like, "Real Christians don't believe in that" or "No Christian should vote for so-and-so"?  Just yesterday online, someone said to me, "Who are you to speak for God and all believers?"  I patiently explained, of course, that I am just a believer attempting to be a lantern for God's Pentecostal fire.  I don't speak for God or all believers. In fact, even when I read the Gospel aloud, I first beg for strength and purity of heart so that I can do so properly.

But for some people, unfortunately, Christianity is a team sport.  This, I think, is what our reading from Numbers, and the beginning of our Gospel reading, are trying to denounce.  Who are we to criticize a believer who is doing his best to chase evil out the door and is bearing fruit?  And this leads right into the second part of Jesus' message in today's reading.

In everyday life, competition is the norm.  In fact we often refer to our workaday existence as a "rat race."  The race to win is everywhere.  We are always trying to get the best job, the best pay, the best prices on food, necessities, and luxury goods.  Our recreation is about winning -- cheering on our favorite team -- and so is our politics -- cheering our favorite parties. 

But James' epistle preaches stridently against this, telling us that these competitions are all a waste of time.  He says, "Your gold and your silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you and will eat your flesh like fire." (Jas 5:2)  Certainly there's nothing wrong with trying to provide for our families or enjoying a sporting event.  But we must guard against letting these things take over our lives.  We must not let them consume us, as James says, "eating our flesh like fire."

Jesus uses the analogy of the hand, the foot, and the eye.  If the things we are chasing, and the races we are running with our feet, are consuming us, we should give them up.  If the things we are attempting to do with our hands, and the brass rings we are reaching for with our hands, are taking over our existence, we should cut them out of our lives.  If the things we are following with our eyes -- that is, the things we are giving our attention -- are leading us astray, we should blind ourselves to them. 

This can feel like being maimed.  I sometimes miss the video games I haven't played in about ten years, but I know my spiritual life is better for having sworn them off.  My wife and I sometimes reminisce about the days when we used to go to the movie theater every week, but we know we're better off inside and out for having given them up.  And I have to continually remind myself that my contact with social media, television, and news outlets must be limited in order to keep myself sane and focused on doing God’s work to the best of my ability.  It's hard, but it must be attempted.

Because I think what Jesus is saying here, by putting these two ideas back-to-back, is that we shouldn't focus on cutting off everyone who doesn't completely agree with us.  We should instead be looking to sever our relationship with the pointless races we are running.  We should be cutting ties with vain activities and disassociating with selfish pursuits.

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†9:43 or, Hell
§9:45 or, Hell
Note on verses 44 & 46: These are omitted because they do not appear in the most reliable version of the Greek New Testament, the Nestle-Aland/UBS critical text, which is used as a basis for many Bible translations.

Very Eccentric: Mettle Maker #424 and Holy Eucharist for 9/22/24

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What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

Mettle Maker #424: Very Eccentric

Old-school training stresses a 1:3 time ratio in the concentric and eccentric phases of exercise — that’s 1 second pushing/pressing/lifting, and 3 seconds lowering/returning/putting down — for a minimum 4 second rep. That works out to a 2 minute set of 25 reps.

That’s what we aim for in our constitutionals — training routines made up of 7 calisthenic exercises that, with short breaks, are done in 15 minutes or less: 25 reps of each x 7 = 14 minutes.

What’s interesting is that the science more and more backs up this regimen. And what’s downright bizarre is that one of the most contentious weightlifting studies ever done, the Colorado Experiment, used a very similar scheme that stressed 20-rep sets with increased weight on the eccentric phase. The claim is that some participants added 3 lbs of muscle per week on the program! And they trained for less than an hour a day? Unthinkable.

But just saying.

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No live service today — mitch+ is traveling — but here is his homily for today…

Homily for the Twenty-fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, 9/22/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Wis 2:12, 17-20, Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8, Jas 3:16—4:3, Mk 9:30-37

Mark 9:30-37 World English Bible

They went out from there and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”

32 But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

33 He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”

34 But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.

35 He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” 36 He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”

I can remember clearly the outrage I felt when I realized, in my first year of school, that some kids would pick on, abuse, and bully weaker kids.  Not long after, it shocked me to find out that some of the kids were two-faced – that they'd be nice to your face but talk about you like a dog behind your back.  That's how it starts.  We get exposed to the realities of life and bit by bit our innocence is replaced by cynicism.  By the time I was thirty I had been let down by a teacher, robbed by more than one friend, mistreated by an employer, tricked by a shady landlord, and more.  It was abundantly clear to me that everybody lies, everyone is out for himself, secrets, cliques and conspiracies are the rule rather than the exception, and nice guys always finish last.

In our Gospel reading today, Jesus places a child in the midst of his apostles and suggests that “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”  Does he mean that we should be nice to kids?  Yes, he means that literally.  But he means so much more. 

Adults are responsible for the care, protection, safety, and support of kids.  And so Jesus is suggesting that we care about the welfare of others in the same way that we care for the welfare of our children.  Doing that, Jesus says, is like welcoming the Father and the Son into our midst.   

This parable is not unique.  Many times in the Gospels, Jesus suggests that we should be like children. When Matthew relates the same story at the beginning chapter 18, he adds, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."

Does Jesus want us to be little spoiled brats who refuse to eat their vegetables and cry until they get what they want?  No, that's not what he means at all when sets up children as an example.  He wants to be free from guile, deceptiveness, and deceit.  Not jaded.  Not cynical.  James says in today’s reading, "where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice...the wisdom from above is peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity."

Like the child that Jesus picks up, hugs, and places in their midst, Jesus wants us to be comfortable being picked up and hugged by our Heavenly Father.  He wants us to trust in his words and instructions.

When I was kid, I followed my father everywhere he went, helping him with chores, handing him tools when he was fixing a sink or what-have-you, trying to absorb his wisdom and imitate his behavior.  Jesus wants us to do that with him and his Heavenly Father.  He wants us to follow him around, help him execute his plans on earth, and learn his words.

Think, brothers and sisters, about what you were like before the disillusionment of the world seeped into your bones.  Think about your childish enthusiasm, your youthful idealism, your original, trusting nature, and your untrammeled innocence.  Endeavor to be that person again, to be reborn as a child, and to put that child in the custody of God. 

Breaking Barriers: Mettle Maker #423 and Holy Eucharist for 9/15/24

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

Mettle maker #423: Breaking Barriers

Sooner or later you’re going to hit a plateau in your exercise plan. You’re going to max out on some exercise or other and stop getting stronger, or fall short of your goal. Maybe you’ve tapped out your potential and that’s as far as you’re going to get. Or maybe what you need to do is shake things up and take another run at it!

Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result is the definition of insanity – and it’s also a recipe for injury and failure.

To break through a barrier, try one of these 8 options:

1.     Alter your body mechanics for a couple of months using S.A.F.E. M.P.™.   S.A.F.E. M.P.™ stands for Speed, Accuracy, Form, Endurance, Mobility, and Power  (for more on S.A.F.E. M.P.™ refer to my book Martial Grit: Real Fighting Fitness (On a Budget)).  Although S.A.F.E. M.P..™ is most directly applicable in martial arts, its relevance extends to all athletic activities.

a)     Speed: Slow your pace.  Go back to a 2 x 12 and lower the weight even more slowly than before such that your pace count goes from 4 or 5 seconds up to 6, 7, 8 or more.  Write your set times in your training journal and try to get slower and slower.

b)     Accuracy: Concentrate on being extremely precise in your movements.  Don’t worry about sets, reps, or anything other than being exceedingly exact in terms of having perfect form and pace.  Be extremely conscious of how your muscles feel at every stage of every rep, and be fully engaged in what you’re doing.  Focus matters. Studies show, or example, that people who exercise while watching TV or listening to music benefit less from their exercise investment.

c)     Form: Substitute a complimentary exercise.  Obvious examples would be simply switching from Bench Press to Incline Bench Press or Weighted Push-ups, or subbing Hand Release Push-ups for regular Push-ups, Handstand Push-ups for Military Press, and so on.   

d)     Endurance: Cut the weight by about 25% and start doing a 1 x 25 instead of a 2 x 12, progressing as normal.  Or reduce the rest between sets.  If you’ve been taking a two full minutes, take just 1 minute, or only 30 seconds.  25 reps is not 25 reps.  There’s a night-and-day difference between one 25-rep set and a 5 x 5 with 3 minutes between each set. 

e)     Mobility: Add movement to the exercise.  If you are stuck on Military Press, for example, you might take off some weight switch to Overhead Carries with dumbbells, barbells, sandbags or stones, or do your press combined with a forward Lunge.  Or take off some weight and bolt chains to the ends of your barbell to make it sway during most any exercise.  Drape some chains around your neck when doing Squats or Push-ups to add a swaying/dragging element.  Take the exercise out of the static and into the mobile.

f)      Power: Increase movement velocity.  If you’re stalled in Front Squats, for example, you might switch to Sandbag Jump Squats.  When my progress stalled on Broad Jumps, I switched to Drop Jumps: I stood on a 2’ box, dropped down, let myself sink to a low squat position, and explosively hopped forward, all in one movement. The increased compression at the bottom added by the preceding drop “jump-started” my progression nicely.  Just make sure that you start out easy and progress without breaking any of the old-school training rules.  Power training is a completely different beast. 

2.     “Play tag” with the equipment for a couple of months.  Take it easy, have fun, and just make sure that you touch all of the same tools and body parts, using random exercises and random weights.  Do some pyramids, some ascending and descending ladders, etc. Just adhere to pace and the old-school rules and enjoy yourself!

3.     Take a few weeks off.  Sounds crazy, right?  But, in case you haven’t noticed, even pro athletes have an off-season.  Go canoeing, backpacking, or hiking.  Spend some time fishing at the lake or sitting on the beach.  The world’s your oyster.  Enjoy!  Remember that, if you’re an old-schooler, the fitness is supposed to support your life, not the other way around.  The whole point of staying fit is that you can be healthy and have a long life enjoying your favorite activities!

Does a totally free program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development sound like your cup of tea? Sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, 9/15/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Is 50:5-9a, Ps 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9, Jas 2:14-18, Mk 8:27-35

Mark 8:27-35 World English Bible

Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

28 They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others, one of the prophets.”

29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him. 31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke to them openly. Peter took him and began to rebuke him. 33 But he, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.”

If we want to sell lemonade at a lemonade stand, we have to buy some lemons and start squeezing.  Want to make money in the stock market? Start investing.  Want to get fit?  Start working out.  To earn a wage, get out bed and go to work.  This is how the world works. We have to give something up in order to get something back.  Sacrifice, brothers and sisters, is the seed of success.  There is no other way.

But what if our lemonade doesn’t sell?  What if the stock market crashes?  Investments aren’t a sure thing. Generally speaking, the greater the investment the greater the reward.  But there are limitations.  If we give up having a family, friends, or time off in order to single-mindedly purse a career, we might get wealthy but we’d also be bankrupt emotionally, spiritually, and socially. We’d most likely end up like Ebeneezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.  Wealthy in one sense but miserable, alone, and impoverished in many other ways. 

Or what if we liquidated all of our assets – our home, our car, our 401K, our savings, all of it – and invested in some kind of entrepreneurial venture?  That’s extremely risky.  We could end up homeless.  This world rewards small and mid-sized investments.  In this broken world, in this earthly dimension, there are no safe bets.  And going all-in is the riskiest bet of all.  Yes, in this world, brothers and sisters, all investments are a roll of the dice.  But huge investments of time, energy, and money are even more risky than the smaller ones.  Because this world is fallen.  It is upside down. 

But things are entirely different in the heavenly realm.  In the spiritual dimension, when we invest everything, we always get the maximum return.  When we give up everything and follow Christ, we can’t lose.  This doesn’t mean that we literally have to give up our homes and our jobs to be itinerant preachers begging for meals.  It just means that we need to put what God wants first, and let everything else stand in line.

Jesus says, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”  “Denying yourself” means denying your desires – the things that please you – to pursue the things that please God.  “Taking up your cross” means being prepared to suffer.  Doing without material things, not having power, not being famous, not being rich and cool, being looked down upon for your beliefs, and so on.

We will look poor to the eyes of this world.  But to those who can see in the spiritual dimension, and to the eyes of God, we will be rich. Jesus says, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.”

Now, we can’t just say that we’re invested.  We have to show that we’re invested.   Jesus tells the disciples to stop professing his nature with words, to stop yammering and pushing back on God’s plan.  “But he, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”  James says,  “So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:17). 

In order to merit a share in God’s Kingdom, we need to make a tangible investment. If we want some lemonade we need to start squeezing some lemons.

Action Mindset: Mettle Maker #422 and Holy Eucharist for 9/8/24

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WEEKLY FELLOWSHIP! JOIN AROUND THE CAMPFIRE!

Sundays at 11:30 AM ET. Click here to join via Google Meet!

What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

What’s new?

• Our program is now called HERITAGE ROUGH ‘N’ TUMBLE. To understand why we’ve made this change, read this post .

• Skin in the game is now required. The program is still free if you can’t afford a donation of $1/month — but you have to at least hang out with the crew each week or volunteer to be a social media promoter, blogger, researcher, newsletter editor, fundraiser, mentor, artist, or even come up with your own idea.

Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt

Mettle maker #422: Action Mindset

Last week we talked about getting in gear. We asked if you, or anyone you know, was given to putting things off until the conditions were absolutely perfect before taking action. News Flash: most of the time what happens is that you never take action. You just think about it.

Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt famously said, “Do what you can, where you are, with what you’ve got.” I’ve tried, over the last three years or so since my heart attack, to really internalize that mindset. It really changed the game.

I respectfully suggest that you should not wait until you are over 60 years old and a heart attack survivor to confront your dwindling lifespan and lack of sincere initiative.

Watch the video "Action Mindset” and get in gear.

Does a totally free program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development sound like your cup of tea? Sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the Twenty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, 9/8/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Is 35:4-7a, Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10, Jas 2:1-5, Mk 7:31-37

Mark 7:31-37 World English Bible

Again Jesus departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee through the middle of the region of Decapolis. 32 They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside from the multitude privately and put his fingers into his ears; and he spat and touched his tongue. 34 Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly. 36 He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

In today’s reading, Jesus’ path of evangelism takes him right through the federation of city states known as the Decapolis or “ten cities.”  They were all majority gentile in their religious observance, an amalgam of various pagan persuasions – worshipping either the gods of the Greeks, Romans, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hittites, or Babylonians – planetary gods like Sin (the Moon), Shamash (the Sun), Marduk (Jupiter), Ishtar (Venus), and so on.  Syncretism – the blending of various beliefs and practices – was the norm there. 

So, in essence, Jesus’ evangelistic path is very much like ours.  Every person he met might well have had a completely different belief system than the last. The same is true for us, especially among the youth of today.  What we encounter more and more these days is a mishmash of vague superstitions – a stew of crystal healing, pop psychology, and astrology, seasoned with a little bit of sympathetic magic and spiced with some watered-down Buddhism and a dash of Hindu karma.

Talking to someone who is trapped in this mindset feels like talking to someone who is deaf and has a speech impediment.  They seem to have difficulty hearing the things we are saying.  And when they reply, it is often very hard to understand.  If you are like me and have personally suffered from this deafness to the Word of God, it’s much easier to talk to and understand these people.  In other words, it’s easier to understand what’s blocking their ears if your own ears have also been blocked.

What is the blockage?  What do all of these diverse beliefs have in common?  The person says to himself,

·       “If I buy this crystal and put it on my body, I can improve my health.”

·       “I can use astrological star charts to understand my past and reveal my future.”

·       “If I smudge my house with sage I clear away my anxiety and negativity.”

·       “If I put this statue of Buddha in my bedroom and burn incense in front of it, it’ll bring me peace and strength.”

All of these wasted efforts – all of these ear blockages – start with “I”.  I can fix my problems.  I can heal myself.  I control my fate.  When we think this way we cannot hear God.  Our ears are blocked.  It still happens to me sometimes.  Things don’t go according to my plan, and so I keep pushing harder for personal control instead of praying to God for a better way to get things done that is in accordance with his will rather than my own.

Do we have agency in the world?  Of course.  Can we make choices and take actions that help us realize our goals and achieve great things?  Definitely.  We are nowhere near being just so much flotsam and jetsam flowing down the river of time.  Our actions certainly matter.

But only if we put our faith in God and cooperate with him can we realize our destinies.  Nothing happens unless God wills it to be so.  Fate is the ultimate, unavoidable end.  We have no input in that, none whatsoever.  But destiny?  Destiny is the purpose God put us on this earth to realize.  And faith in pseudoscience and superstitious gimmicks, and insisting that we can get things done without God, only prevents us from listening to God and collaborating with him. Over a dozen times in the New Testament Jesus says, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!”  

Let us unclog our ears and listen.

Getting in Gear: Mettle Maker #421 and Holy Eucharist for 9/1/24

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WEEKLY FELLOWSHIP! JOIN AROUND THE CAMPFIRE!

Sundays at 11:30 AM ET. Click here to join via Google Meet!

What’s the weekly mettle maker?

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

What’s new?

• Our program is now called HERITAGE ROUGH ‘N’ TUMBLE. To understand why we’ve made this change, read this post .

• Skin in the game is now required. The program is still free if you can’t afford a donation of $1/month — but you have to at least hang out with the crew each week or volunteer to be a social media promoter, blogger, researcher, newsletter editor, fundraiser, mentor, artist, or even come up with your own idea.

Mettle maker #421: Getting in Gear

Have you ever heard or spoken something that resembles one of these:

• “If I had a cool boat, I could escape the rat race, cruise around the lake, relax, and have a great time.”

• “If I had a perfect home gym, I could finally take the plunge, lose this spare tire, and get back in shape.”

• “As soon as I get through this rough patch, and get back on track.”

• “I’m going to save up some money, take my wife on a fancy european vacation, and rescue our struggling marriage.”

• “If I could afford a membership to the big gym and a weightlifting coach, I could get super strong and take my martial arts training to the next level.”

• “I’ll start on Monday.”

All of this is is complete hogwash.

You may not have the perfect equipment. The timing or conditions may not be great. Fair enough. But there is something you can do, right here and right now, to move toward your ultimate goal.

“Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are.” Theodore Roosevelt

Here are my comebacks to the above statements.

• “If I had a cool boat, I could escape the rat race, cruise around the lake, relax, and have a great time.” Probably what you really want is to go fishing and do fun stuff with your buddies, or to feel the wind in your hair. You don’t need a boat to do either. Just go to the lake. Pack lunch, have a picnic, fish off the dock, invite your friends. It’ll work just as well, you won’t have to wait, and it’ll be way cheaper.

• “If I had a home gym, I could finally take the plunge, lose this spare tire, and get back in shape.” Walking and calisthenics are still the best and safest forms of exercise there are. Both require no equipment and will build muscle. And by the way, the cause of weight gain is eating too much food. You can lose weight without exercise. Stop deflecting.

• “As soon as I get through this rough patch, and get back on track.” You are lying to yourself. Life is one rough patch after another. There’s never going to be a patch with no roughness long enough for you to magically get on track. Start now.

• “I’m going to save up some money, take my wife on a fancy European vacation, and rescue our struggling marriage.” If your marriage is struggling, it’s not because you two are suffering from a European vacation deficiency. The problems will manifest just in readily in Europe as they do at home. Find the real problems and confront them together. Most couples simply don’t pay enough attention to one another, don’t do things together, play together, or pray together. Watch my video, “The Kiss” above.

• “If I could afford a membership to the big gym and a weightlifting coach, I could get super strong and take my martial arts training to the next level.” Utter lunacy. Fitness is specific. Would you expect a world-class gymnast to be good at throwing the javelin? Would you expect an NFL lineman to be good at tennis? If you want to be a great martial artist, do martial arts, and restrict your red-line training to martial arts only. Everything else should be done in moderation.

• “I’ll start on Monday.” Tater tots. You’ve said this every Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday for the last three years. Please stop the insanity and start doing whatever it is you know you need to do right now, this very instant. You will do it poorly. Who cares? Do it poorly long enough and you’ll start to do it well. Ya gotta start somewhere!

You don’t need gear, you need to get in gear. You don’t need need the perfect situation, you need to situate yourself perfectly. Action and attitude go a long way!

Does a totally free program that incorporates self-defense, fitness, outdoor skills, and spiritual development sound like your cup of tea? Sign up for our free Rough ‘n’ Tumble Distance Learning Program!

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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 the Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, 9/1/24 – Father Mitch

Readings: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8, Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5, Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27, Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 World English Bible

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) 5 The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”

6 He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me.

7 They worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’*

8 “For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.”

14 He called all the multitude to himself and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. 15 There is nothing from outside of the man that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

21 For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, 22 covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”

Brothers and sisters, the things we eat are material.  They contain a variety of nutrients, like fat, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  They are essential to human life.  The things we put into our mouths fuel our activities.  And without question it’s a great idea to wash our hands before we eat them, and to be conscious of the fact that contaminants like pesticides, debris, bacteria, and parasites can cause serious diseases or even death.

That’s the surface level view.  But if we go just one layer up, we find that there is something going with food that we don’t quite understand.  Repeated studies show that whole foods cooked at home promote health more effectively than eating adulterated or fast foods and then trying to set things right by taking vitamins and supplements.  Nourishing food contains invisible ingredients that are hard to measure and quantify, like amino acids and enzymes.  But it’s more than that.  Preparing food yourself and sharing it with others creates social bonds and has profound, but less material, benefits.

According to the non-profit Family Dinner Project, “decades of research have shown that regular family meals offer a wide variety of physical, social-emotional and academic benefits. While some of these benefits can be gained through other activities, eating together is the only single activity that is known to provide all of them at the same time.”¹

What Jesus is saying here is that washing our hands, the pitchers, plates and utensils in a particular way, according to a higher material standard, does not prevent us from bringing negativity, evil thoughts, pride, lust, and anger to the table.  Washing our hands and forearms won’t stop us from being mean and nasty.  Cleaning the plates and bowls won’t stop us from arguing about politics over the mac ’n’ cheese.  What comes out of our mouths will defile us, not what’s going in.

What we eat at the dinner table and how we share it brings with it a variety of physical, social, and emotional benefits.  That’s an elevated observation.  But if we go up still higher, we should also be able to see how this week’s lesson is related to the two John 6 readings from the two previous Sundays.  No matter what it is – whether it’s steak and potatoes, a vegan spectacular, a Whopper or a Big Mac – it can’t make us want to be a better men or women.  My wife’s spaghetti with meatballs is amazing, but it can’t inspire my family and our guests to take care of widows and orphans.  Her meatloaf is better than filet mignon, but it cannot purify our souls.

The only food that can do that is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  Unless we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, we have no life in us.  For his Body and Blood are True Food and True Drink; and if we eat of them, we live in Christ and he in us (John 6:53-56).  This is the highest quality nourishment – the only food that can change what comes out of our mouths.

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* 7:7 Isaiah 29:13

¹  https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/about-us/benefits-of-family-dinners/