Читать книгу To the Ends of the Earth - Mark C. McCann - Страница 7

Preface

As men we are all about making our mark in the world. As Catholic men, we need to consider exactly what that means with regard to our faith in Christ and our membership in his Church. We are on a journey along a narrow road, moving ever forward toward the Kingdom of God. How we live will stand as a testimony for others who will come after us.

The kind of legacy we leave behind is not simply a matter of saying the “right words” or doing the “right things.” It involves our whole lives — our thoughts and desires, our sweat and our labors, our relationships and our goals. If we are focused on Christ and him alone, the kind of testimony that our lives will speak will reflect his glory to all the world.

During the next ten weeks, we will be looking at what it means to be a man of legacy. Throughout this study, we will focus on our calling to grow as individuals and as brothers in Christ, always keeping in mind the goal of adding to the great and glorious story of salvation and to our call to lead others to heaven’s gates.

This book is both a personal daily devotional and a tool for group study with other men. Each day, you are encouraged to read through the day’s devotion, pray and meditate on the message from God’s word, and reflect on the questions provided, always remembering the theme for the week and seeking to apply it to your life. It is suggested that you take fifteen to thirty minutes in the morning to complete each devotion, and then let your prayerful experience with the Lord guide you throughout your day.

On Saturday, you are encouraged to look back on your week of study, reflecting on the progress you’ve made, thanking God for the work he has done in your life, throwing any mistakes into the ocean of God’s mercy, and committing to personal goals in areas where you’d like to see improvement in the coming week.

For those who want to take things a step further, you are encouraged to keep a journal where you write your reflections, track your progress in Christian living, and dialogue with the God who is leading you on this journey of manhood. You can then use your journal to help you share your insights and discoveries with other men.

The key to growing with this study involves two things: taking time to read and learn each day, and then living out the message through practical acts of love. This means taking the reflection questions and turning them into action steps that you can do as you love your family, serve your church and community, and lift up your brothers in the Faith.

Once a week, you are encouraged to come together with other Catholic men to share your thoughts on the devotions, the insights you have gained in prayer, and the ways you have put these principles into practice in everyday life. The leader of your study group will facilitate a discussion, focusing on those passages, reflections, and actions that have meant the most to the men in the group. After a general sharing of thoughts about the daily devotions, the leader can focus on the Saturday “Go Deeper” questions. As each man shares ideas, the leader will encourage the other men to build on the ideas raised and add their own unique voice to the discussion.

As you make this journey, determine to spend more time in prayer, study, and worship to grow in your faith. Look for opportunities to interact with your brothers, as you build one another up, carry one another’s burdens, and hold one another accountable before God. Love your families and your communities with the same uncompromising love that Christ has poured out onto you. Look for ways to make this world a better place by being a man who represents Christ and his Church well. Look forward to all the blessings that are to come in God’s good time!