Articles by Jason Godin
The ‘yes’ factor
Dec 19, 2011 / 00:00 amPerhaps you’ve had the privilege of associating with an ordinary man who acts seemingly and seamlessly in the most extraordinary ways. You’ve come to consider him a great man, a treasured role model, maybe even seeing him as your hero. He brings an optimism tempered with truth to a world plagued by pessimism and false expectations. He shares inspiring words and acts with great charity toward others who take selfishly. He provides indescribable support and comfort in what may seem the most unbearable moments of life.
Immaculate preparation
Dec 5, 2011 / 00:00 amThe Church commemorates the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8. Did you ever wonder why the Church celebrates a distinctly Marian feast day as a holy day of obligation during the Season of Advent, when we are preparing ourselves for the Nativity of Christ? And, on a much more personal level, did you ever wonder how the Immaculate Conception can still help men of faith in the 21st century?
Giving Thanks by Doing More
Nov 21, 2011 / 00:00 amThanksgiving is one of the most tradition-filled, iconic holidays of the year. A man can take satisfaction not only in having the day off and being with his family, but also in his special role and responsibility that may include carving the turkey and popping a cork or two. And since I grew up in Pennsylvania, recent headline news from Penn State has made me recognize this year more than others the influence that traditions, as well as individual roles and responsibilities, can have on people.The alleged immoral sexual acts committed against young boys, combined with the moral inaction of too many others who could’ve stepped forward, serve notice about the fragility of traditions and the imperfect iconic figures that they can produce. We should be reminded that traditions can become self-serving ends in themselves, and icons can become corrupted by their fame or importance, just as all things in this world will come to an end, and all persons are prone to sin. Consequently, I see Thanksgiving as a time to realize that our faith demands that we not simply go through the motions of traditions surrounding our American holiday, but use this annual observance to give thanks by doing more than in past years.The MealThanksgiving for me first centers on the traditional meal. Every year my wife, children, some friends too far from their own family, and I all gather around the table for a huge Thanksgiving lunch. I carve the turkey my wife spent all morning perfecting while everyone else sets the table with side dishes, many she made as well. Then we eat it all.My wife works very hard to make Thanksgiving successful. She gets up early and, since 2007, cooks with our two young children nagging her. What simple act could I do this year to give thanks by doing more? Our parish celebrates a Thanksgiving Mass in the morning. I plan to take the kids with me. It is not just a way to get them out of my wife’s hair, but for them to witness their father giving thanks to God for what matters most: my health, a loving family, a remunerative job, and living in a country where I have the freedom to worship without fear.The GameStuffed from the meal, a journey is then made every year to the living room to enjoy another Thanksgiving tradition — watching a game (or two) of football. This Thanksgiving will be an extra special day for me. My favorite professional team plays one of the early games and my graduate school alma mater closes one of the finest rivalries in college football that night.What simple act could I do this year to give thanks by doing more? I plan to switch the television off if the football game proves a blowout, and spend the time with family and friends. If the game is a close one, and turning it off may result in someone turning me into a tackling dummy, I plan to mute the television and still spend the time with family and friends. If questioned about why I’m turning my attention away from Thanksgiving football, I’ll explain that sports channels can give me the game highlights but not make memories shared with my family and friends.Edmund Burke once wrote that “when bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Today many people equate those words to mean simply “evil thrives when good men do nothing.” The horrors of what is alleged to have happened at Penn State prove that men can still do something — fulfill their obligations legally but abandon them morally — and evil can still persist under the defense of protecting hallowed traditions and iconic figures.Our world needs good men to do more. This Thanksgiving, in your own traditional ways, give thanks by doing more than you have in the past.
Silence spoke on the Western Front
Nov 7, 2011 / 00:00 amThe Holy Spirit speaks through human voices throughout history. But some dates seem to suggest that the Holy Spirit does so in a more quiet way at certain moments than others.
Psalm 63
Oct 3, 2011 / 00:00 amRecently I caught up with one of my former students. We talked a lot about the health of his family’s farm in East Texas. To date, East Texas suffers from over 24 inches less than average rainfall. “The drought is so bad,” he lamented, “that we have these two trees – been there as long as the farm itself –one dead, the other dying. If the one tree didn’t have roots next to the stream nearby, it would’ve already died like the other one.”
Colors of the seasons
Sep 19, 2011 / 00:00 amThe changing leaves of autumn always make me think about the colors of the liturgical calendar. The Church employs a tapestry of colors in its celebrations throughout the year – purple, white, red, green, and sometimes even pink – and uses them both to distinguish liturgical seasons as well as illustrate the mysteries of our faith.
The slavery of lust
Aug 29, 2011 / 00:00 amThe Church memorializes the beheading of St. John the Baptist on August 29. It is a liturgical event with a sad, timeless lesson: how a man – in the Gospel account, Herod – dominated by desires and pleasures of the flesh can destroy himself, his family, and his neighbors. Lust can shackle a man into living a sinful life. Consequently, it is important for men to identify lust and recognize its insidious forms.
An August faith
Aug 3, 2011 / 00:00 amMost of us live August as a noun. It arrives as the eighth month every year with 31 days seemingly hotter and more humid. But look up “august” in a dictionary and you also will find it is an adjective. August, when defined in this way, means both “inspiring awe and reverence” and “worthy of respect because of age and dignity.” Such a linguistic discovery presents us with an opportunity in the weeks ahead.
St. James’ message for men
Jul 25, 2011 / 00:00 amCatholics celebrate the feast day of St. James the Greater on July 25. For millennia, scholars have lacked detailed evidence on the career of this apostle except for a handful of passages in the New Testament. But what little is known still bears much fruit for men looking for a role model on how to live as a faithful follower of God.
The blessings of moving shepherds
Jul 4, 2011 / 00:00 amJuly is often a time of transition in parishes as bishops assign newly ordained priests for the first time, and veteran priests also receive new assignments.
Living the gifts of Pentecost
Jun 6, 2011 / 00:00 amThis week the Church concludes the Easter season with the celebration of Pentecost. This coming Sunday serves as a reminder of the original and ongoing gift of Pentecost: the Holy Spirit living, acting in, and with his Church. It also presents a special opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to living a life that reflects the sacramental gifts of Pentecost: the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit that we receive through Confirmation.
Rosary masculinity
May 2, 2011 / 00:00 amSome elements of our culture are calling men to embrace a very dark form of masculinity, based on violence, domination of women and self-adulation – messages that are found in video games, movies and music. Yet real men know the emptiness, futility and ultimate falsehood of this view of life. As we begin this month of May – this month of Mary – men from all walks of life should accept the challenge of living a different form of masculinity by praying the rosary daily. Men who commit themselves to contemplating the rosary mysteries will discover a treasury of lessons on how to define masculinity and live it actively, fearlessly and full of hope.Joyful MysteriesThe Joyful Mysteries, recited on Mondays and Saturdays, provide a basic definition of masculinity. By exalting in the fact that Mary answered “Yes” to the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, men can see that the masculine life is worth living as God chose to live among men. Placing oneself prayerfully in the sandals of St. Joseph at the Nativity helps men appreciate how the masculine life, even in its earliest stage, is also precious and worth defending. The Presentation reveals how men can find authentic masculinity by remaining obedient observers of absolute truth found through, in, and with Christ. Living, defending, and obediently observing absolute truth is not easy for men in any age of history, but as Zachariah must have realized upon learning that his barren wife, Elizabeth, carried a child, nothing is impossible with God. Luminous MysteriesThe Luminous Mysteries, the latest addition to the rosary added by Blessed John Paul II, are recited on Thursdays. In these “Mysteries of Light,” the public ministry of Jesus Christ between his Baptism and his Passion reveals to men how to transform their masculinity into fearless action. Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God by instructing others with teachings and parables. The lessons continue to remain relevant for men in their mission for masculinity, as Jesus addressed such topics as anger, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation, almsgiving, and fasting (cf. Mt 3-7). The Wedding at Cana and, later, the Transfiguration, confirm how real masculinity requires not only listening to Jesus when instructed by Mary, but to do so fearlessly (cf. Jn 2:5, Mt 17:7). The Institution of the Eucharist nourishes men with the fact that such fearless, active masculinity is never accomplished alone. Sorrowful MysteriesThe Sorrowful Mysteries, recited on Tuesdays and Fridays, illustrate for men the personal price of responsible masculinity. Jesus’ agonizing prayer on the Mount of Olives reminds men that even the Alpha Male struggled but persevered in love for mankind (cf. Lk 22:42). Jesus himself suffered harsh physical pain when scourged at the pillar and crowned with thorns by mocking soldiers. Masculinity demands men constantly to carry their own crosses – in their families, workplace, and communities – with the same humble stamina of Jesus. The crucifixion illuminates in a profound way how masculinity requires that men must ultimately “die to self” in their service and love of others. Glorious Mysteries The Glorious Mysteries, recited on Wednesdays and Sundays, provide masculinity with crucial dimensions of renewal, hope and nobility. When contemplating the Resurrection, men realize how they can always rediscover and relive masculinity even when they stumble. The Ascension directs masculine sights away from mundane goals and toward a destiny of heavenly triumph. Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, shows how the power of the Holy Spirit can provide even a timid masculinity with an inner strength. Finally, the Assumption and Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary illustrate masculinity as a knightly privilege, where men walk beside Mary, the Queen of the Angels and Saints, when contemplating the face of Christ. Men, use this month to pray the rosary on a daily basis. But be prepared. Heeding the challenge just might make you think and act more like a man of God.
Parents, children and Lent
Mar 21, 2011 / 00:00 amLent illuminates our need for God. Our little sacrifices remind us of our weak human nature and our struggle to develop virtues. Catholics the world over devote more time in prayer this season. Some have found in Lent a new opportunity to abstain from the variety of activities that have turned them from Christian living. Still others use the 40 days for greater almsgiving in their parishes or as a time to donate more of their income to charitable organizations.