NIC’s Corner
· The work of justice will be peace, the effect of justice, calm and security forever. Isaiah 32:17
· Bucket List trip: Rich vs Poor Tour: 7-Bermuda vs. 216-Eritrea
o Bermuda is a paradox: a luxurious, high-income haven with breathtaking scenery and world-class services, yet challenged by affordability and economic inequality. It’s ideal for those in high-paying sectors or seeking a serene, safe lifestyle—less so for those without financial cushion or local roots
o Eritrea is a nation of paradoxes: resilient in health and education, yet burdened by authoritarian rule and economic stagnation. Its people endure hardship with remarkable strength, but the path to prosperity remains obstructed by systemic barriers.
§ 🌴 Bermuda vs. Eritrea: Quality of Life for Expats
· Bermuda offers luxury living, safety, and world-class services but at a very high cost. Ideal for those in finance or with employer support.
· Eritrea provides cultural richness and affordability but faces serious challenges like restricted freedoms, limited infrastructure, and political control.
· Verdict: Bermuda is far more expat-friendly in terms of comfort and access to services, while Eritrea suits adventurers and humanitarian workers seeking depth
§ For Catholic’s:
Here’s a compact summary of our Bermuda vs. Eritrea exploration from a Catholic and cost-of-living perspective, Richard:
✝️ Catholic Environment
- Bermuda: Open worship, thriving Catholic parishes, full access to sacraments.
- Eritrea: Catholicism allowed but restricted; limited sacraments and religious freedom.
Winner for Catholic expats: Bermuda, by far.
💸 Cost of Living (Monthly Estimates)
Category | Bermuda | Eritrea |
Single (excl. rent) | ~$1,900 | ~$865 |
Rent (1BR city center) | ~$4,500–5,000 | ~$475 |
Groceries | ~$800–1,200 | ~$200–300 |
Healthcare | ~$400–700 | ~$30–50 |
Winner for affordability: Eritrea, though comfort and access are limited.
🧭 Verdict
Bermuda offers comfort, spiritual freedom, and luxury—ideal for Catholic expats with resources. Eritrea delivers cultural depth and resilience but is better suited for those embracing simplicity or humanitarian service.
· Let Freedom Ring Day 19 Freedom from Syncretism
o Cheat: Soupa Do Divinio Espirito Santo
· Spirit Hour: Queimada (Galicia Fire Drink)
§ Hello-Whine and Cheese
· Religion in the Home for Preschool: July
· Get an indulgence
Introduction to 1 Timothy[1]
The three letters, First
and Second Timothy and Titus, form a distinct group within the Pauline body of
work. In the collection of letters by the Apostle to the Gentiles, they differ
from the others in form and contents. All three suggest they were written late
in Paul’s career. The opponents are not “Judaizers” as in Galatians but false
teachers stressing “knowledge”. Attention is given specially to correct
doctrine and church organization. Jesus’ second coming. The three letters are
addressed not to congregations but to those who shepherd congregations. These
letters were first named “Pastoral Epistles” in the eighteenth century because
they all are concerned with the work of a pastor in caring for the community or
communities under his charge. 1 Timothy is presented as having been
written from Macedonia. Timothy, whom Paul converted, was of mixed Jewish and
Gentile parentage. He was the apostle’s companion on both the second and the
third missionary journeys and was often sent by him on special missions. In
1 Timothy, he is described as the administrator of the entire Ephesian
community. The letter instructs Timothy on his duty to restrain false and
useless teaching and proposes principles pertaining to his relationship with
the older members of the community and with the presbyters. It gives rules for
aid to widows and their selection for charitable ministrations and also deals
with liturgical celebrations, selections for the offices of bishop and deacon,
relation of slaves with their masters, and obligations of the wealthier members
of the community. This letter also reminds Timothy of the prophetic character
of his office and encourages him in his exercise of it. The central passage of
the letter expresses the principal motive that should guide the conduct of
Timothy—preservation of the purity of the church’s doctrine against false
teaching. On this same note the letter concludes.
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📖 Overview
of 1 Timothy
1 Timothy is a pastoral epistle written by St. Paul
to his spiritual son Timothy, a young bishop overseeing the church in Ephesus.
Paul offers guidance on:
·
Church leadership and structure
·
Sound doctrine and moral conduct
·
Personal holiness and perseverance in ministry
The letter emphasizes faithfulness, discipline, and
courage in the face of challenges, especially for those entrusted with
spiritual leadership.
🙏 Catholic
Themes and Lessons on Fear
While 1 Timothy doesn’t explicitly dwell on fear as
a central theme, it offers indirect but powerful lessons on overcoming fear
through faith, love, and spiritual maturity:
1. Fear is not from God
·
Though more directly stated in 2 Timothy 1:7,
the spirit of this teaching permeates 1 Timothy: God does not give a spirit of
fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
o Paul
urges Timothy to stand firm against false teachings and not be intimidated by
his youth or opposition.
2. Courage in Leadership
·
Timothy is encouraged to teach boldly, correct
error, and maintain order in worship (1 Timothy 4:11–16).
o Catholic
tradition sees this as a call to pastoral courage—to shepherd souls even when
it’s uncomfortable or risky.
3. Spiritual Discipline Overcomes Fear
·
Paul emphasizes training in godliness (1 Timothy
4:7–8), which includes prayer, fasting, and moral integrity.
o The
Church teaches that such discipline strengthens the soul against fear and
temptation.
4. Trust in Divine Providence
·
In 1 Timothy 6, Paul warns against anxiety over
wealth and urges contentment, reminding believers that God provides.
o Fear
often stems from a lack of trust—Catholic spirituality counters this with
abandonment to Divine Providence, as modeled by saints like St. Francis of
Assisi.
🕊️ Catholic
Reflection
From a Catholic lens, 1 Timothy invites
believers—especially leaders—to transform fear into trust through:
·
Sacramental life (especially Eucharist and
Confession)
·
Scriptural meditation
·
Communal support within the Church
·
Imitating Christ’s courage, especially in suffering
As St. John Paul II often said: “Be not afraid!”—a
phrase that echoes the spirit of Paul’s exhortation to Timothy.
JULY
25 Friday-Feast of Saint James, Apostle
ST
CHRISTOPHER-Wine and Cheese Day
1 Timothy, Chapter 5, Verse 20
Reprimand publicly those who do
sin, so that the rest also will be AFRAID.
It
is better to scorn a child than to let them walk into real danger. If we follow
the advice of Timothy, we may wound someone’s pride in order to save their
soul. The priest sandal that has so wounded our church is because we failed to
follow this advice. Nothing ever gets better if it is ignored and left to
fester. If we see someone who we know is trapped in sin out of love, we must
help them.
From
a personal standpoint I remember I used to have a young soldier who worked for
me whose breath smelled bad and I ignored it for months. Finally, my boss came
to me and told me that he smelled it and told me to advise the soldier to see
the dentist as it could indicate a serious dental problem. I did, and the young
soldier lost 4 teeth from infection that I failed to correct out of a lack of
courage.
If
you correct someone, they may hate you, but they will still have their teeth or
soul as the case may be.
Copilot
1
Timothy 5:20—and
it carries a sobering weight when viewed through a Catholic lens. Here's how
the Church might interpret its lessons on fear:
⚖️ Fear as Reverence, Not Terror
In
Catholic theology, fear of the Lord is one of the seven gifts of the
Holy Spirit—not a paralyzing dread, but a reverent awe of God's holiness
and justice. This verse taps into that idea:
·
Public
reprimand isn’t meant to humiliate, but to awaken conscience.
o
It
instills a healthy fear of sin’s consequences, especially among leaders
and the faithful who might be tempted to dismiss moral accountability.
🕊️ Fear as a Deterrent to Scandal
The
Church teaches that public sin demands public correction when scandal is
involved:
·
Scandal
leads others into sin, so public rebuke serves as a protective measure
for the community.
o
The
fear here is not of punishment alone, but of losing communion with Christ
and damaging the Body of Christ.
🛡️ Fear as a Guardrail for Holiness
This
verse reminds Catholics that:
·
Leadership
in the Church carries responsibility—priests,
bishops, and lay leaders must be held to high standards.
o
Fear
of public correction can encourage vigilance, humility, and repentance
before sin becomes habitual or public.
✝️ Fear That Leads to Conversion
St.
Augustine and St. John Chrysostom both emphasized that fear, rightly ordered,
can be the beginning of wisdom:
·
It’s
not fear for fear’s sake, but a wake-up call that leads to deeper
conversion.
o
Public
correction, when done with charity, can restore the sinner and strengthen
the community’s resolve to pursue holiness.
Feast
of St James the Greater, Apostle[2]
JAMES, by birth a Galilean, a son of Zebedee and
Salome, was brother to St. John the apostle, with whom he was called by Jesus
to follow Him. He was present at the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, at the
raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead, and other like miracles, and
at the bloody sweat in the Garden. After the sending of the Holy Ghost, he
preached the doctrines of Jesus in Judea, Samaria, and in Jerusalem, where
Herod caused him to be beheaded in the year 44. His body was brought to
Compostella, in Spain, where it is venerated by vast numbers of the faithful,
who make pilgrimages to his grave. St. James was the first of the apostles who
shed his blood for Christ.
The Introit
of the Mass is as follows: To me Thy
friends, O God, are made exceedingly honorable; their principality is
exceedingly strengthened. Lord, Thou hast proved me and known me: Thou hast
known my sitting down and my rising up.
Prayer.
Be Thou, O
Lord, the sanctifier and guardian of Thy people, that, defended by the
protection of Thy apostle James, they may please Thee by their conduct, and
serve Thee with secure minds.
EPISTLE,
i. Cor. iv. 9-15.
Brethren: I
think that God hath set forth us apostles the last, as it were men appointed to
death: we are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. We are
fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ: we are weak, but you are
strong: you are honorable, but we without honor. Even unto this hour we both
hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed abode,
and we labor working with our own hands: we are reviled, and we bless: we are
persecuted, and we suffer it. We are blasphemed, and we entreat: we are made as
the refuse of this world, the off-scouring of all even until now. I write not
these things to confound you: but I admonish you as my dearest children: for if
you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in
Christ Jesus by the Gospel I have begotten you.
GOSPEL.
Matt. xx. 20-23.
At that time: There came to Jesus the mother of the
sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of Him. Who said to
her:
What wilt thou?
She saith to Him: Say that
these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy
left, in Thy kingdom. But Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask.
Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?
They say to Him: We can. He
saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink: but to sit on My right or
left hand is not Mine to give to you but to them for whom it is prepared by My
Father.
Prayer to
St. James.
O heroic apostle, who first of all didst, after the
example of Jesus, drink of the chalice of suffering, but now, in the kingdom of
His Father, livest upon the holy mountain of Sion, obtain for me, I beseech
thee, from Jesus the grace not to shrink from the chalice of suffering and
tribulation, but patiently to accept whatever the hand of God may present to
me, whether agreeable or disagreeable, and thereby to become worthy one day to
be inebriated with the streams of heavenly joy.
The Pilgrimage to
Santiago de Compostela[3]
The history of the
pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela stretches back more than 1000 years to the
discovery of the body of St. James during the reign of King Alfonso II
(792-842). St. James was already believed to have been the great evangelist of
Spain and for many hundreds of years there had been a scholarly and literary
tradition supporting this belief. The discovery of the relics of St. James then
became a focal point for pilgrims. Though a few pilgrims to Santiago are
recorded in the 10th century, and many more in the 11th, it was in the early
12th century, and particularly under the energetic promotion of Archbishop
Diego Gelmírez (1100-1140), that Santiago came to rank with Rome and Jerusalem
as one of the great destinations of medieval pilgrimage. The first Cathedral
was built over the site of the tomb, and gradually houses were established, for
example by monks from Cluny in Burgundy and from Aurillac in Cantal, France,
along the developing pilgrimage route.
The 12th and 13th
centuries are considered to have been the golden age of the pilgrimage to
Santiago. Subsequently the years of the Renaissance and Reformation in Europe
led to a decrease in the number of pilgrims. However, pilgrims still made their
way to Santiago throughout the centuries. In 1884, following academic and
medical research, Pope Leon XIII issued the Bull, Deus Omnipotens, which
proclaimed that the relics in Santiago were those of St. James. This is
recognized as the start of the modern development of the pilgrimage. It was
thought that in the 20th Century the growth of mechanized means of transport
such as cars and airplanes might lead to a reduction in the number of pilgrims
travelling to Santiago on foot or on horseback. This was not to be the case and
in the last 30 years in particular there has been a huge growth in interest and
in the number of pilgrims travelling on foot, on horseback or by bicycle.
Pilgrims were encouraged by the visits by Pope John Paul II in 1982 and in 1989
when World Youth Day was held in Santiago. The number of pilgrims continues to
grow. In 1985 1,245 pilgrims arrived in Santiago. In the 2010 Holy Year 272,703
pilgrims qualified for the Compostela.
Things to
Do[4]
·
Learn more about St. James.
·
It is traditional in Spain to make a yearly
pilgrimage to St. James of Compostela on July 24. Read
more about this custom. From Catholic Culture's Library: Pilgrimage
To The Stars and Cycling
through time on the Camino de Santiago.
·
Read about Santiago de Compostela,
the third largest shrine in all of Christendom.
·
Learn more about the pilgrimage to St. James.
·
Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Galicia
and final destination of the famous pilgrimage way is certainly among Spain's
most beautiful cities. You can take a virtual tour and learn all about this
area of the world here.
·
Watch this Spanish news
broadcast of the faithful bringing flowers for Our Lady of the Pillar on
October 12 during the celebration of the feast at the cathedral, notice the
open devotion and enthusiasm offered to Our Lady. Tradition says that Mary
appeared to St. James before her Assumption. Read more about the apparition
here.
·
Plan your own pilgrimage to a nearby shrine.
Pope John Paul II said, "To go in a spirit of prayer from one place to
another, from one city to another, in the area marked especially by God's
intervention, helps us not only to live our life as a journey, but also gives
us a vivid sense of a God who has gone before us and leads us on, who himself
set out on man's path, a God who does not look down on us from on high, but who
became our traveling companion." Read
this letter and try to incorporate its spirit into your pilgrimage.
Way of St. James[5]
Hikers travel the trail
across the Castilian plateau. It’s a long walk to Santiago de Compostela on the
Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), but the Christian faithful have made the
pilgrimage since the bones of St. James the Apostle were unearthed here in the
9th century, spreading the cultural rebirth of Europe. The apparition of St.
James was said to aid Christian armies in battles with the Moors, so Spaniards
adopted Santiago Matamoros (aka St. James, the Moor-slayer) as their patron
saint. Modern hikers follow in the footsteps of El Cid, Louis VII of France,
and St. Francis of Assisi to this pilgrimage destination that’s on a par with
Rome and Jerusalem. Whether their motives are spiritual or not, the experience
of the walk lingers. Most travelers follow a variant of the French Route, which
begins in the Basque village of Roncesvalles, in the Pyrenees at the
French-Spanish border, and trek 500 miles through the Rioja wine country (see
here) and the former kingdoms of northern Spain. Hostels, inns, and restaurants
along the entire stretch cater to the pilgrims. Those who lack time or stamina
for the 4-plus-week journey by foot walk only the final 62 miles, through
rugged but green inland Galicia. At Monte de Gozo, 2 miles from Santiago de
Compostela, tired but elated travelers typically get their first glimpse of the
twin towers of Santiago’s cathedral. Construction of the majestic Cathedral of
Santiago de Compostela began in 1078, on the site of a 9th-century basilica
destroyed by the Moors, and Maestro Mateo’s original designs rank among
Europe’s finest Romanesque art. The cathedral’s elaborate, two-towered Baroque
façade, added in the 18th century, protects the now restored original Porta de
Gloria from weathering. The impact of the cavernous interior—as simple as the
façade is ornate—is heightened by the golden-cloaked, bejeweled statue of St.
James above the main altar, embraced by arriving pilgrims. The cathedral shares
the vast Plaza del Obradoiro (“work of gold”) with the Hotel Reyes Católicos (Catholic
Kings), built by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel in 1499 as a hospice for
pilgrims. Now one of the most renowned paradors in Spain, it has rooms
overlooking the square and the cathedral and many more overlooking four
courtyard cloisters. Only a short walk away, the Palacio del Carmen has
transformed an 18th-century convent into comfortable if less majestic lodging.
Where: Santiago de Compostela is 375 miles/603 km northwest of Madrid. The most
popular route of the Camino de Santiago starts in Roncesvalle and runs 500
miles/800 km across the northern regions of Spain, from east to west. How:
U.S.-based Saranjan, Inc., offers 1- to 2-week tours by minibus, on foot, or on
bicycle. Tel 800-858-9594 or 206-720-0623; www.saranjan.com. Cost: 8-day
hiking/biking tours from $3,150; all-inclusive. Originate in León. Hotel Reyes
Católicos: Tel 34/981582200; www.parador.es; in the U.S., Palace Tours,
800-724-5120; www.palacetours.com. Cost: from $105 (off-peak), from $225
(peak). Palacio del Carmen: Tel 34/981-552444; www.palaciodelcarmen.com. Cost:
from $100 (off-peak), from $115 (peak). Best times: late Feb or early Mar for
Antroido (carnival); last 2 weeks of Jul for succession of fiestas; Jul 25 for
feast day of Santiago, celebrated with fireworks, music, and processions.
St.
Christopher-Bearer of Christ[6]
St. Christopher's feast
day is still July 25,
and the proper of the Mass in his honor is found in the 1962 edition of the
Roman Missal still authorized for the Tridentine Mass. The confusion over
whether St. Christopher is still a saint arose when Pope Paul VI revised the
Liturgical Calendar, which includes the feast days of saints that are
commemorated at Mass. Due to the proliferation of the number of feast days over
the centuries, the Second Vatican Council in its "Constitution on the
Sacred Liturgy" proposed, "Lest the feasts of the saints should take
precedence over the feasts which commemorate the very mysteries of salvation,
many of them should be left to be celebrated by a particular Church, or nation,
or family of religious. Only those should be extended to the universal Church
which commemorates saints who are truly of universal importance" (No.
111). With this in mind, a special commission — Consilium — examined the
calendar and removed those saints whose historical base was more grounded on
tradition than provable fact, changed the feast days to coincide with the
anniversary of a saint's death or martyrdom whenever possible, and added saints
that were recently canonized and had universal Church appeal. Moreover, local
conferences of bishops could add to the universal calendar those saints
important to the faithful in their own country. In no way did the Church
"de-canonize" St. Christopher or anyone else, despite the lack of
historical evidence surrounding their lives. St. Christopher is still worthy of
our devotion and prayers, and each of us should be mindful that he too is
called to be a "bearer of Christ."
Novena
of St. Ann[7]
Daily Prayer to Saint Ann
O
glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you and
with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the weight of my
troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present
intention which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it
before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue
to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me
the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the
saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Our Father, . . . Hail Mary . . .
O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann, help me now and at
the hour of my death. Good St. Ann, intercede for me.
NINTH
DAY
Good St. Ann, I have reached the end of this
novena in your honor. I have asked and ask again. Good mother let not your kind
ear grow weary of my prayers, though I repeat them so often.
Bounteous Lady implore for me from divine
Providence all the help I need through life. May your generous hand bestow on
me the material means to satisfy my own needs and to alleviate the plight of
the poor.
Good St. Ann, fortify me by the sacraments of
the Church at the hour of my death. Admit me into the company of the blessed in
the kingdom of heaven, where I may praise and thank the adorable Trinity, your
grandson Christ Jesus, your glorious daughter Mary, and yourself, dear St. Ann,
through endless ages.
Bible in a Year-Day 37
Today's episode dives into the mystical works of God, and what our approach
should be for explaining them in the natural world, as we read from Exodus
17-18, Leviticus 12, and Psalm 73.
Wine (Whine) and Cheese Day[8]
There are some things in
the world that were just meant to go together, like Chocolate and Peanut
Butter, oil and vinegar, and of course wine and cheese! Since time out of mind
wine and cheese have been paired together and served at all the most important
of events among the highest class of people. Wine And Cheese Day celebrates
this eternal bonding and the elegance it engenders.
Learn
about National Wine and Cheese Day
National Wine and Cheese
Day is a date that celebrates the ultimate pairing of cheese and wine. For a
lot of people, there is nothing that goes together better than a great glass of
wine and some premium quality cheese. A lot of wine-producing cultures pair
regional wines with local cheeses, and so this is an art that is recognized in
many parts around the world.
Not only does National
Wine and Cheese Day give you the chance to celebrate this tradition, but it
also gives you the opportunity to expand your knowledge in terms of pairing
different types of wine and cheese. There are so many different types of wine and
cheese – it would be impossible to name them all! This means that there is
always something new to learn when it comes to the art of pairing these two
treats together. And, of course, while there are some general guidelines to
follow in terms of determining what sort of cheese is going to go well with the
wine you’re serving, you can also learn a lot by simply trying out different
combinations.
History
of Wine And Cheese Day
There is an interesting
element to all of the pairings mentioned in the introduction, with the possible
exception of chocolate and peanut butter. Pairings of food almost universally
involve pairing an astringent food, like wine, with a fatty food like cheese.
The reason isn’t just incidental, but in fact is one of the secrets of culinary
science that’s used in creating truly delectable meals.
Astringent foods have a
tendency to bind with the elements in saliva that lubricate and cause them to
clump and lose their ability to lubricate. This tends to leave us with a
puckered mouth and nobody loves that! Even worse, the more you consume astringent
foods the drier they make your mouth! While we all agree that wine and tea are
both delicious, no one wants a puckered mouth!
This is where the cheese
comes in with its fatty texture and often pungent flavors. Each bite tends to
coat our mouths just a little more making it lubricated with fat, often to the
point of being slimy! We love the flavors, but the constant buildup of flavor
can often be overwhelming, and that’s when wine comes to the rescue!
Wine And Cheese Day
celebrates this pairing of foods and the ways they interact to make each one
even more enjoyable!
How
to celebrate Wine And Cheese Day
The best way to celebrate
Wine and Cheese Day is by hosting a wine and cheese tasting of your very own!
Get together with your friends and plan out the evening with every variety of
cheese you can imagine. Bring your Port Wines and your blushes, your champagnes
and your reds and whites, and for each of them bring a parade of cheeses to be
sampled. We’re not talking simple Sharp Cheddar but exotics like blue cheese
and Limburger, Gorgonzola and Mizithra, all the wondrous cheese of the world!
Here are some tips to help
you pair wine and cheese together effectively:
- When
in doubt, a firm and nutty cheese won’t let you down.
- Cheeses
and wines that come from the same place pair well together. Remember what
we said about the French brie earlier?
- Sparkling
wines work beautifully with creamy, soft cheeses. This is because the wine
has high carbonation and acidity, which acts as a palate-cleanser for the
sticky and creamy cheeses, like Cremont, Camembert, Muenster, and Brie.
- Sweeter
wines and funky cheeses go together perfectly. Sweeter wines like Late
Harvest dessert wines and Moscato go well with the blue-veined cheeses.
This is because the sweetness from the wine helps to balance out the
‘funk’ in the cheese.
- Aged
cheeses and bold red wines go well together. Look for cheeses that have
aged for at least a year when serving a bold red wine. This is because the
cheese’s fat content will counteract the high tannins in the wine. The
cheeses you can serve include the likes of Provolone, Gouda, Manchego, and
Cheddar.
- Pair
cheeses and wines that equal intensity. If you were to opt for a Cabernet
Sauvignon and Gruyère, for example, the cheese would be overwhelmed by the
bold and big flavors of the wine.
With these tips, you
should be able to come up with some great wine and cheese pairings that you and
your loved ones can enjoy. You could even get everyone to contribute a wine and
cheese pairing each, and then you could see who has been able to come up with
the best match. After all, there is nothing like a bit of friendly competition,
right?
Fitness
Friday-The 5 Switches of Manliness: Challenge[9]
The Vital Need for Challenge in a
Man’s Life
So, despite these obstacles and
knowing that daring greatly may result in failure, should a man seek to turn
the switch of challenge, or should he simply opt-out in favor of a life of
safety and convenience? Because sure, striving for greatness benefits society,
but nobody wants to feel like they’re being used in a sucker’s game.
The truth is, what’s good for society
as a whole is also good for the individual man. When you pursue a challenge, it
is true that sometimes you will fail, but the real value is simply found in the
striving. Whatever blood, sweat, and tears you expend in the pursuit of
greatness, whether you ever reach your goal or not, will be returned to you in
the form of greater strength, virtue, and deep satisfaction.
When NASA first sent astronauts up
into space, they thought perhaps the zero-gravity atmosphere would do great
things for the astronauts’ bodies–that their vitality might increase once they
were released from having to contend with all that gravitational pressure. Of
course, what they found instead was that without the pressure, their bodies
deteriorated, and their muscles atrophied.
The lesson can very easily be applied
here: you can try to float through life by shunning challenge and minimizing
resistance, but you’ll end up as a soft shell of a man.
Obviously, most men these days don’t
want to have 100 children. Some may not even want one. Of course, nature does
not distinguish between the drive for progeny and the drive for sex, and plenty
of men still want to have as much of the latter as possible. But whether you’re
an unabashed lothario or no-sex-before-marriage man, our primal drive for
challenge cannot be denied and left unsatisfied.
The Warrior Dash, a race in which
participants run, climb over obstacles, crawl through the mud, and sprint
through fire, has more than 650,000 fans on Facebook. Whereas men used to get
in the dirt to get paid, men now pay to get in the dirt. This is truly
extraordinary. Clearly, the need for challenge cannot simply be rationalized
away.
How to Turn the Challenge Switch
in Your Life
Truly, the biggest challenge for
modern men is motivating ourselves to embrace little challenges in a time of
peace and prosperity, in order to be ready for a great challenge, if, perhaps
simply when, it arises. In a time where there are not too many external
challenges that are thrust upon us, a man must motivate himself to utilize
every bit of his potential internally, to purposefully challenge himself.
Decades ago, psychologist Abraham
Maslow came up with his famous “hierarchy of needs,” which described the
ascending level of human needs. Once humans have taken care of their basic
needs, like food and shelter, they have the freedom to seek even more from
life, working their way to the peak of the pyramid, which is
self-actualization.
Self-actualization sounds a little
hokey, but it simply means this: “What a man can be, he must be.” In other
words, a man at his peak utilizes all of his potential and becomes all he is
capable of becoming. So, the pursuit of greatness and each man’s peak will look
different for each individual man, according to his particular talents,
abilities, and desires.
But for every man, it can only be
attained by creating challenges for himself whenever possible. It sounds
complicated and daunting but remember the mantra of the switches of manliness
theory: it’s all about doing small and simple things.
I love what Steve Kamb from Nerd Fitness has to say about finding a
challenge in your life. Simply do sh** that
scares you. Find whatever makes you uncomfortable and do it.
If that bit of advice is still too vague for you and you’re still looking for
some specific ways to incorporate the switch of challenge in your life, we
provide the following suggestions.
Mental Challenges
·
If you’re in high school or college, don’t take
the easy classes just so you can get the easy A. Take classes that will
challenge and stretch you intellectually.
·
Read books and articles that challenge your
point of view.
·
Make it a goal to read the Great Books
of the Western World. I’ve been doing this for two years now, with
numerous starts and stops. Some of the reading is dense and challenging, but
the effort has been worthwhile.
·
Take up meditation. Learning how to quiet the
distracted mind requires discipline and dedication.
·
If you’ve never been a math guy like me, take
free online math classes at Khan Academy.
I freaking love this site. I’m in the middle of reviewing basic arithmetic
but am looking forward to getting started with the calculus stuff.
·
Ask for assignments at work that challenge you.
Don’t be the guy who plays it safe and stays ducked under his desk all the
time.
Spiritual/Moral
·
Make it a goal to pray or meditate every morning
and evening.
·
Challenge yourself to read your scriptures for
10 minutes or more a day.
·
Commit to doing several hours of community
service each month.
·
Start tithing 10% of your income to your church
or to a charitable organization.
·
Take Ben
Franklin’s 13 Virtues Challenge
·
Join the Catholic Church in Afghanistan.
Physical
·
Take up a combat sport like boxing or MMA. Go and train
in Thailand. And don’t just do it recreationally, actually sign up for
an amateur fight.
·
Sign up for a Warrior Dash or Tough Mudder
event.
·
Do some gut busting
football conditioning drills.
·
Take up intermittent fasting.
·
Do the Universal
Man Plan
Social/Emotional Challenges
·
Reconcile with somebody you’ve been estranged
with for a long time.
·
Have that difficult conversation you’ve been
putting off.
·
Travel to a place that’s way off the map.
·
If public speaking scares the crap out of you,
join Toast Masters. You’ll get plenty of opportunities to speak in public.
·
That woman you’ve been wanting to ask out on a
date? Do it. Today.
·
Stop seeking
for the approval of others.
·
Find your true
vocation.
·
Quit “shoulding”
all over yourself. Deciding to do what I chose to do in life instead
of doing what I thought I should do was one the biggest challenges I’ve
overcome.
·
Do you have any suggestions on how to flip the
switch of challenge in a man’s life? What sort of challenges have you overcome
that have made you feel more like a man? Share them with us in the comments.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: The
sanctification of the Church Militant.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Go to MASS
·
Rosary
Introduction to Titus
Copilot
From a
Catholic perspective, the Letter to Titus offers subtle but profound lessons on
fear—not by naming it directly, but by showing how grace, sound teaching, and
virtuous living displace fear’s grip. Here’s how it unfolds:
🌿 Fear Transformed by Grace
(Titus 2:11–14)
·
Paul writes that “the grace of God has appeared, bringing
salvation to all”—a grace that trains us to reject ungodliness and live
with self-control, uprightness, and devotion.
·
This grace doesn’t just comfort—it reorients fear. Instead of
fearing punishment or chaos, believers are invited to live in hope, awaiting
Christ’s return with confidence.
·
Catholic teaching sees grace as a transformative gift: it doesn’t
erase fear but sanctifies it, turning it into reverent awe before God rather
than anxious dread.
🛡️ Sound Doctrine as a
Shield Against Fear (Titus 1:9; 2:1)
·
Paul urges Titus to teach “sound doctrine” and to appoint
leaders who can “refute opponents” with truth.
·
In Catholic thought, doctrinal clarity dispels fear born of
confusion or false teaching. When the faithful are grounded in truth, they’re
less vulnerable to spiritual anxiety or manipulation.
·
Fear often thrives in ambiguity—Paul’s remedy is formation rooted
in Christ.
🕊️ Virtue Over Vice: The
Fearless Christian Life (Titus 3:1–7)
·
Paul contrasts the old life of foolishness, disobedience, and
malice with the new life of mercy, renewal, and peace.
·
Catholics see this as a call to moral courage: fear is overcome
not by bravado, but by living virtuously in the Spirit.
·
The sacramental life—especially Baptism and the
Eucharist—reinforces this transformation, reminding us we are no longer slaves
to fear but heirs of hope.
🔥 Leadership and Witness:
Fearless in Mission (Titus 2:7–8)
·
Titus is told to be a model of integrity and dignity so that “the
opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.”
·
Catholic leaders, lay and ordained, are called to witness boldly,
not fearfully. Their example helps others live with confidence in faith.
In short,
Titus doesn’t offer a treatise on fear—it offers a blueprint for living beyond
it. Grace, truth, virtue, and hope form the spiritual architecture that
replaces fear with trust in God.
Introduction to Two Timothy
From a Catholic perspective, the Second Letter to
Timothy offers some of the most direct and empowering lessons on fear in all of
Scripture. Written by Paul from prison, facing martyrdom, it’s a spiritual
father’s final encouragement to his son in faith—and it’s saturated with
courage, conviction, and clarity.
🔥 2
Timothy 1:7 — The Heart of the Message
“For God
did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.”
This verse is foundational. Catholic teaching sees
this not just as a motivational line, but as a theological truth:
·
Fear is not from God. The Holy Spirit imparts dunamis
(power), agape (love), and sophronismos (self-control or sound
mind).
·
These gifts are cultivated through the sacramental
life—especially Confirmation, which strengthens the believer to witness boldly.
🛡️ Fear and
Apostolic Mission
Paul urges Timothy to “not be ashamed of the
testimony about our Lord” (2 Tim 1:8). In Catholic thought:
·
Fear often tempts us to silence or compromise. Paul
counters this with a call to bold witness, even in suffering.
·
The Church sees this as a model for evangelization:
proclaiming Christ with courage, especially when it’s unpopular or dangerous.
🕊️
Suffering as a Path to Holiness
Paul speaks openly of his chains and impending death
(2 Tim 4:6–8). Catholics interpret this as:
·
A reminder that fear of suffering must be
transformed into trust in God’s providence.
·
Martyrdom and redemptive suffering are not to be
feared, but embraced as participation in Christ’s Passion.
📖
Scripture and Formation
Paul tells Timothy that “all Scripture is
inspired by God” and useful for teaching (2 Tim 3:16–17).
·
Fear often arises from confusion or spiritual
immaturity. Catholic tradition emphasizes formation through Scripture and
Tradition to ground the faithful in truth.
·
A well-formed conscience, shaped by the Word and the
Church, is less susceptible to fear-driven decisions.
🧭 Final
Charge: Faithfulness Over Fear
Paul’s final words—“I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7)—are a Catholic
rallying cry:
·
The goal is not a life free of fear, but a life
faithful in spite of it.
·
The “crown of righteousness” (2 Tim 4:8) is promised
to those who persevere, not those who never tremble.
Introduction to the Gospel of Luke[10]
The Gospel
according to Luke illustrates God’s
dealings with humanity found in the Old Testament, showing how God’s promises to Israel have been
fulfilled in Jesus and how the salvation promised to Israel and accomplished by
Jesus has been extended to the Gentiles. The stated purpose is to provide
Theophilus and others like him with certainty—assurance—about earlier instruction they have
received. To accomplish his purpose, Luke shows that the preaching and teaching
of the representatives of the early church are grounded in the preaching and
teaching of Jesus, who during his historical ministry prepared his specially chosen
followers and commissioned them to be witnesses to his resurrection and to all
else that he did. This continuity between the historical ministry of Jesus and
the ministry of the apostles is Luke’s
way of guaranteeing the fidelity of the Church’s teaching to the teaching of
Jesus. Luke’s story
of Jesus and the church is dominated by a historical perspective. This history
is first of all salvation history. God’s
divine plan for human salvation was accomplished during the period of Jesus,
who through the events of his life fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies, and
this salvation is now extended to all humanity in the period of the church.
This salvation history, moreover, is a part of human history. Luke relates the
story of Jesus and the church to events in contemporary Palestinian and Roman
history for, as Paul says, “this
was not done in a corner.”
Luke is concerned with presenting Christianity as a legitimate form of worship
in the Roman world, a religion that is capable of meeting the spiritual needs
of a world empire like that of Rome. To this end, Luke depicts the Roman
governor Pilate declaring Jesus innocent of any wrongdoing three times. At the
same time Luke argues in Acts that Christianity is the logical development and
proper fulfillment of Judaism and is therefore deserving of the same toleration
and freedom traditionally accorded Judaism by Rome.
The prominence given to
the period of the church in the story has important consequences for Luke’s interpretation of the teachings
of Jesus. By presenting the time of the church as a distinct phase of salvation
history, Luke accordingly shifts the early Christian emphasis away from the
expectation of an imminent parousia to the day-to-day concerns of the Christian
community in the world. He does this in the gospel by regularly emphasizing the
words “each day”
in the sayings of
Jesus. Although Luke still believes the parousia to be a reality that will come
unexpectedly, he is more concerned with presenting the words and deeds of Jesus
as guides for the conduct of Christian disciples in the interim period between
the ascension and the parousia and with presenting Jesus himself as the model
of Christian life and piety. Throughout the gospel, Luke calls upon the
Christian disciple to identify with the master Jesus, who is caring and tender
toward the poor and lowly, the outcast, the sinner, and the afflicted, toward
all those who recognize their dependence on God, but who is severe toward the
proud and self-righteous, and particularly toward those who place their
material wealth before the service of God and his people. No gospel writer is
more concerned than Luke with the mercy and compassion of Jesus. No gospel
writer is more concerned with the role of the Spirit in the life of Jesus and
the Christian disciple, with the importance of prayer, or with Jesus’ concern for women. While Jesus
calls all humanity to repent, he is particularly demanding of those who would
be his disciples. Of them he demands absolute and total detachment from family
and material possessions. To all who respond in faith and repentance to the
word Jesus preaches, he brings salvation and peace and life.
Early Christian tradition,
from the late second century on, identifies the author of this gospel and of
the Acts of the Apostles as Luke, a Syrian from Antioch. The prologue of the
gospel makes it clear that Luke is not part of the first generation of Christian
disciples but is himself dependent upon the traditions he received from those
who were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.
Copilot
From a Catholic perspective, the
Gospel of Luke offers a rich tapestry of lessons on fear—how it manifests, how
it’s transformed, and how it ultimately leads to deeper faith. Luke doesn’t shy
away from fear; instead, he weaves it into moments of divine encounter, awe,
and surrender. Here are some key insights:
🌟 Fear as a Response to Divine
Presence
·
In
Luke, fear often accompanies encounters with the divine—Zechariah in the
temple (Luke 1:12), the shepherds at the Nativity (Luke 2:9), and the disciples
during miracles.
o
Catholic
tradition sees this as holy fear, a reverent awe before God’s majesty.
It’s not terror, but a recognition of divine transcendence.
§ The angel’s repeated message—“Do
not be afraid”—signals that God’s presence is not meant to paralyze but to
invite trust.
🕊️ Mary’s Fearless Fiat (Luke
1:26–38)
·
Mary’s
response to Gabriel is a model of faith over fear. Though “troubled” at
his greeting, she listens, discerns, and ultimately says “Let it be done to
me.”
o
Catholics
see this as a template for vocational courage: fear is natural, but
grace empowers surrender.
§ Her Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55)
praises God’s mercy toward those who “fear Him”—a fear rooted in humility and
love.
🌊 Fear and Faith in the Storm (Luke
8:22–25)
·
When
the disciples panic during the storm, Jesus calms the waves and asks, “Where
is your faith?”
o
Catholic
interpretation: fear reveals our limits, but Christ’s presence reframes fear
as an invitation to deeper trust.
§ This scene is often paired with
reflections on Baptism—passing through water into new life, even when the waves
rise.
🧎 Awe and Fear in Healing Miracles
·
After
Jesus raises Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:49–56), the crowd is “amazed.” After
healing the paralytic (Luke 5:26), they are “filled with awe.”
o
Catholic
theology sees these moments as epiphanies—fear gives way to wonder, and
wonder leads to worship.
§ Fear isn’t the end—it’s the
threshold to recognizing God’s power and mercy.
🌿 Gethsemane and the Fear of
Suffering (Luke 22:39–46)
·
Luke
uniquely notes that Jesus “sweat like drops of blood”—a vivid image of
emotional agony.
o
Catholics
reflect on this as Christ’s solidarity with human fear. He doesn’t
bypass suffering; He transforms it through obedience.
§ The angel who strengthens Him
reminds us that grace meets us in fear, not after it.
🔥 Fear of Judgment and the Call to
Conversion
·
Luke’s
parables (e.g., the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16) evoke fear of eternal
separation—but not to condemn.
o
Catholic
teaching uses this fear as salutary—a wake-up call to repentance, not
despair.
§ The goal is not fear for fear’s
sake, but conversion through mercy.
In Luke, fear is never
dismissed—it’s dignified, redirected, and ultimately sanctified. It’s the
trembling before the mystery of God that becomes the doorway to peace.
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