Closing out another day of ice storm hell, I decided that if I was to venture anywhere today, it would be to worship Our Lord at Calvary. I went to Mass. And I was not disappointed (like I ever could be!).
My parish typically sees around 100 people for any of the several daily Masses we are blessed to have at our disposal. Side note to all who read this: if you have a TLM on offer to you daily and you can make it there, GO! Dismount soapbox.
Today was a bit different. Due to the ice sheet covering every road like a continuous glacier, I was one of exactly six people not counting Father in the church. So imagine my surprise when Father, finishing the Gospel, removed his maniple and laid it on the Missal. For those not in the know, that is the indication that Father is going to preach. “Really?” I thought. “ He’s going to preach a sermon to six people at a daily Mass?” It’s his prerogative…
Father gave a brief exposition on the life of St. Polycarp. What he said deserves to be heard by all – but especially by men, and most especially by young men who, these days, seem more desirous than ever for more proven men to teach them how to be men.
Polycarp was the last of the Apostolic Fathers of the Church. He was a disciple of St. John the Apostle. Betrayed and turned over to the authorities for being a Christian, he was lead into the arena for his execution. A voice cried down to him from heaven.
“Polycarp, take courage and show thyself a man!”
Magnificent.
God knows exactly what to say and when to say it.
Polycarp straightened up (I can imagine him puffing out his chest at this point as if to say, “Bring it!”), and accepted his death sentence manfully.
A fire was lit to consume his body. Miraculously the fire surrounded and surmounted him but did not touch him. It is written that his body glowed like a warm loaf of bread coming out of the oven – a clear Eucharistic reference. Angered, the soldiers instead stabbed him to death. His blood quenched the flames.
Think about those words. “Take courage and show thyself a man!” Now replace courage with any number of virtues. “Be chaste and show thyself a man!” “Be compassionate and show thyself a man!” Be just. Be pious. Be stouthearted. Be joyful. Show mercy. Be a man and show thyself a man.
In all of life’s struggles, young men (and not so young), live the virile nature God imbued you with and be virile.
God did not create you to cower. God made you to be strong. He made you to protect and to provide.
Clerics, take note too. There’s a reason only men can be priests. The one who stands as Christ must be manly as Christ. there’s a lot going on these days. Take courage. Be manly. Protect those in your care from the wolves, especially when those wolves wear miters.
And to all men – young and old, Father and Daddy, when they kill you for it, let your final act be an imitation of St. Polycarp.
Take courage and show thyself a man!
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 