Son,

Having just come through Holy Week and the great celebration of Easter, I thought it was fitting to write to you about some aspects of a man’s role concerning faith. Not only his faith but the faith of those he is called to guard and nourish. To be sure, Holy Week is the church at its very best. Ritual and devotion can seep into the cracks of even the most hardened skeptic and move them. It is truly beautiful, and these ancient services often inspire us to greater living beyond our regular day-to-day.

In many ways, you can say that being a man of faith during these times and festivals is easy. There is a great amount of support for the practice of our confession. You don’t have to try all that hard to aspire to things beyond the sin-encrusted realities of life. Meditation and prayer come easy when it is constantly being encouraged all around you. Contrition comes quickly when faced with the bloody sacrifice of Good Friday. Confidence in a promise that stretches beyond this age is not too difficult to find when you gather to sing the great hymns of Easter.

But the truth of the matter is that these seasons of the church are short-lived. The scaffolding of support that engenders faithfulness will not always be there, at least not in such an easy and free-flowing way. These rhythmic flows of the church’s life weren’t so bad in the times before. At least there, we had other systems that upheld some higher aspiration, which encouraged us to improve. But I’m sad to tell you that such outside support is quickly being pulled down. We live in a time that revels in the tearing down of the statues of great men. Men who were certainly not perfect but still did great things, things worthy of our attention and emulation. They were proof that sacrifice, and hard work, and creative ingenuity would not go unnoticed. In fact, they could be a blessing to society as a whole. And so when the church’s rituals were in short supply, or simply came to an end, the rituals of our common culture could still ignite our attempts to be good and honorable and courageous men. But, as I said, those days are long gone.

These days there is nothing worthwhile to look up to. Like some cosmic joke, the ones elevated before our eyes are only those who can entertain, those that feed our lusts and base desires. We are not encouraged to look up but within. Instead of looking up and out we are to look down and inside of ourselves. Our own desires are elevated as heroes. While I’m not sure where this will lead our society, I do know that it puts you in a difficult spot. Your faith is oriented outward toward a Savior that comes outside your ability or even desires, doing the things you could not. His actions, His work, and His love lifts your eyes beyond yourself to live for something greater. There is courage here, and freedom to become a good man. But these days, there will be little support and encouragement to pursue this greater life of faith. In fact, most people will be hoping for you to fail.

The book of Hebrews offers some profound advice. It says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” You must not neglect the fellowship of the faithful. Gone are the days of the world lifting up great men to inspire us, so we must find our own. You will find that the church gives order and boundaries to life. There is a head and a body with many members, so authority and aspiration are found here. There is encouragement and mutual consolation that turns you from yourself to the things above. It is a constant reminder that there is a better way. More fulfilling, more meaningful, more daring, than what our world offers.

A life of faith is to be turned away from our own bellies to something greater. As St. Paul wrote, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

And here’s the thing; there are others who will need this confidence from you, this assurance of heavenly citizenship. It may be your children or your spouse, it could be a good friend or the nameless saints that meet at your church on a given Sunday morning. But to be orientated away from what is below to the things that are above is to be a leader, a hero, and a good man. And it is my prayer that you continue to strive to be such a man, for they are in short supply.

Love,

Dad