Manifesto for Father's Day

Saw this on Ultracrepidarian's blog, where he responds to a vehicle break-in and his feelings afterwards with "Well, here's the change I want to see in the world...", and then proceeds to passionately describe the love centered (but not mushy or squishy) world that comes only from radical conformity to Christ.

As I read it, parts of it are like a manifesto for Father's Day: only a real man can risk being known for his devotion to Mary, his open heart, his touching love of his kids.

Other parts are for all of us who need to recall "be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye tranformed by the renewing of your minds, that you might prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2.

What actually makes a society safe? What actually makes civilization civilized? Moral order and civilization proceed from the family. What happens to the family, happens to the whole society.

If I take a little hint from Gandhi, maybe I should be thinking about how to "be the change I want to see in the world". Well, here's the change I want to see in the world:

I want to see a renewal in men, who have abandoned the Church, their families and their wives. I want men to return to practicing their faith, taking a position of leadership in the home, especially in the teaching and practice of virtue.

"Maneant in nobis fides, spes et caritas: maior autem horum est caritas."

I want to men to build community and share with each other, support each other in being real men. Not promise-keepers. Not covenant-keepers. Something real, not a program-of-study, or a tract or a book. I want to live with St. Francis as a real role model. I want to shake the planet. I want to live with an open heart. I want to look like an idiot because of my devotion to Mary. I want to make friends with other men who would rather look foolish in front of the world, than look foolish in front of God. I want people who otherwise would never have stopped to consider that the world a doesn't have to be the way it is, to see a Catholic Christian about her daily life, doing small things with great love, making the world a better place. I want people to see that there are millions of little flowers of Jesus in the world. I want people to wake up to that part inside of them that says "hey, I want to do that too." I want the victory of the Cross of Christ to be complete and total, and absolute, and I want to see it happen now, not after I die.

Awesome.