[NEW SERIES] The Masculine Journey: From Sonship to Sainthood

Songs speak to us. From melody to lyrics, songwriting and singing are particular examples of art that almost immediately reveal the content of the heart. It's a vulnerable thing, putting pen to paper poetically for peers and public. It's a vulnerable thing, opening one's mouth to sing in front of others — perhaps even more so: another. It's a vulnerable thing. So why do we do it?

I've always loved to write and sing. One of my earliest memories is sitting down next to my mom at home, both of us on barstools, and presenting a love ballad I had just made up. I must have been about 5 or so... and I'm sure it was really good.

Photo by Steven Erixon on Unsplash

Ultimately, one sings to expose his or her heart to another; to communicate in a way that mere speech simply cannot. We listen to songs and enjoy the ones we do because, ultimately (whether one knows it or not), we yearn to connect with another's heart.

Far from the fluffy and commercialized symbol it has become, the reality of the heart carries magnificent weight in the ancient and classical traditions. The Church Herself summarizes this well:

The heart is the dwelling-place where I am, where I live; according to the Semitic or Biblical expression, the heart is the place "to which I withdraw." The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant.

—Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), 2563

For the past 5 years, I've been convinced of the power of song not just to reveal the heart, but — in doing so — to facilitate prayer. Prayer is the personal encounter between two hearts, between your heart and God's (see CCC 2559). If music so easily reveals the heart (and I'm not just talking about sacred music), then why wouldn't God use songs, even a particular melody or lyric, to reach out to ours? No doubt, there's plenty of filth in songs these days, but we're talking about the same God who chose and transformed a desolate dump and pigsty in a small French town into the very heart of the now beloved Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.

So, when praying about how to introduce this upcoming blog series, The Masculine Journey: From Sonship to Sainthood, I wasn't (fully) surprised when a song almost immediately popped up in my head and, well... heart. I was (and still am) a bit embarrassed though because that particular song was... drumroll, please... Shape of My Heart, by the Backstreet Boys.

If I haven't lost you, especially my fellow men, stick with me. There's gold in them thar hills. As boyish or unmanly as it may seem, the lyrics reveal the longing of every man. Take the chorus, for example:

Looking back on the things I've done

I was trying to be someone

I played my part, kept you in the dark

Now let me show you the shape of my heart

Regret caused by sin. Disordered motivation to be "someone" measured by worldly success rather than beloved sonship. Walls strategically raised to keep even those closest from seeing our true self, warts and all. The prevailing desire for communion through the sharing of hearts.

Original Photos via Unsplash: Man on Trail by Paul Pastourmatzis; Priest with Monstrance by Jacob Bentzinger

No task is more urgent than rediscovering the heart of masculinity. While that may sound hyperbolic, it's really not. There's a reason Jesus not only became man, but became a man. Something about authentic masculinity is essential for the redemption of the world — of every man and woman alike. Rediscovering and embracing this truth, like masculinity itself, is a journey of a lifetime.

That is precisely what I aim to make flesh in this upcoming series. Inspired by my own continual journey of faith and informed especially by Pope St. John Paul II's masterwork, the Theology of the Body (TOB), as well as John Eldrege's outstanding work, The Way of the Wild Heart: A Map for the Masculine Journey, we'll walk the road of authentic masculinity from sonship to sainthood and explore each of the sacred stages on the way. Accordingly, the target release dates and corresponding topics are previewed below:

Part I

May 21st — Back to the Father: The Masculine Journey

May 28th — Our Canteen: PARRRTY Prayer

June 4th — Not Just Any Body: The Heart of Masculinity

June 11th — Our Compass: 3 Choices with Desire

June 18th — Sacred Stages: Becoming Man

June 25th — Our Map: Daily RIM-inder

July 2nd — Rediscovering a Sacra-Mentality: The Invisible Made Visible

Part II

July 23rd — Son: Being Loved

July 30th — Adventurer: Seeking & Stumbling

August 13th — Warrior: Fight for the Right

August 27th — Lover: Given Up for You

September 10th — King: At Your Service

September 24th — Sage: Suffering With

October 8th — Martyr: 'Til Death...

October 22nd — Saint: As Your Heavenly Father

Note especially that the series spans a unique time period: from Pope St. John Paul II's birth week (born May 18th, 1920) to his annual feast day (October 22nd).

Pope John Paul II, Poland, 1979. Photo by Chris Niedenthal. Used with permission.

Additionally, three posts in Part I of the series present very practical tools that will aid our journey. As with every aspect of our Catholic faith, the realities we will cover conceptually must become flesh in our everyday lives.

My sincerest prayer is that this blog series plays its part in guiding my fellow men especially, my beloved brothers, to deeper friendship and communion with the Man, Jesus Christ, who desires nothing more than to show each of us the shape of His heart.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, by Ruth Stricklin, © 2023 New Jerusalem Studios, LLC. Used with permission. Enjoy, learn more about, and consider purchasing Ruth's sacred art at: https://newjerusalemstudios.com/sacred-heart