Happy New Year.  I used to despise this time of the year.  For one very petty reason: this is the time of the year where the newbies invade the gym for a few weeks.  There are two kinds of people in this world: those who make New Years resolutions, and those who don’t bother to fail anymore.  Mark Twain once said, “Quitting smoking is easy, I have done it 1,000 times”.  

Joking aside, January 1st is indeed an opportunity for a fresh start.  It is amusing to watch the secular world attempt reversion/conversion on such an arbitrary day (for those not celebrating the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God).  Additionally, many attempt to make significant changes in aspects of their lives that are not essential for holiness or for spiritual growth.  For us Catholics, we can play a whole different kind of ball game.  

Reading the work of transhumanists has driven me to dig deep into the First Part of the Summa Theologica, Questions 75 through 102.  This is where St. Thomas writes on man.  His commentaryincludes the nature of man, the intellectual powers of his soul, his free will, moral choice, and virtue.  It has been refreshing to go from an atheistic materialist view of man that reduces him to a computing and processing machine to a view of man that recognizes the real dignity and goodness that God designed into him.   Man is a body and soul composite with the power to understand the material world.  He is the only corporeal being capable of choosing either to honor or not to honor the nature that God gave him.  Therefore he is a moral creature.  

To be sure, this is as good a time as any to make resoltuions and to "put on the new man".  To put away bad habits, to become a more virtuous man, and to embrace more sanctifying grace in your liturgical routine.  Consider it the anti-Transhuman New Year’s resolution.  Want to enhance yourself this year?  What better way than through mortification, frequenting the sacraments, and praying the rosary?

The expression “put on the new man” comes from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.  After spending three chapters comforting the Ephesians that they are welcome, with the converted Jews, to the promises of New Covenant, St. Paul assures them that through their participation in “one faith, one baptism” they have the power renounce sin and to now live righteously.  They have the power to live as real men and to choose virtue ( vir- Latin: man).

St. Paul says, “put off, according to former conversation, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desire of error… And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth.” (Eph. 4:22-24)  Specifically, St. Paul tells the Ephesians to put away lying, stealing, and to “not the sun go down upon your anger” (26).  He says that the new man’s words ought to always be edifying (29) and that he ought to readily practice forgiveness (32).  

There are evil people out there with designs to turn you into a “new man” right away this year.  They wish to turn you into a GMO, to be quite specific.  This is not the new man God is calling you to be this year.  Embrace the moral challenge every day to become the new man that St. Paul tells you to become.  And as Michael Hichborn stated in August, if you want to know what happens if you look back, note Lot’s wife.  Take it one day at a time and find support to make 2022 your holiest year ever. 

If you want support and are really up for a challenge, Exodus 90 starts January 17th.  This past Advent I banded a group of men to keep each other accountable regarding Advent resolutions for all 27 days.  We specifically focused on praying the Liturgy of the Hours, praying a daily family rosary, and doing the mass readings each day.  We also independently took up some form of mortification for the season.  Many men in the group stated that it was their best Advent to date.

If you are unfamiliar, Exodus 90 is like extended Lent.  It is hardcore.   The rules of aestheticism are as follows: “Take short, cold showers, Practice regular, intense exercise, Get a full night’s sleep... Abstain from alcohol... desserts and sweets... eating between meals... soda or sweet drinks... television, movies, or televised sports... video games... non-essential material purchases, Only listen to music that lifts the soul to God, Only use the computer for work, school, or essential tasks (e.g., paying bills), Only use mobile devices for essential communications; cut out non-essential texting, app, and internet use, Take Wednesdays and Fridays as days of fasting”.  For full details, visit exodus90.com/how-it-works.

There are plenty of means of support and fraternity out there.  You have all the tools you need to make 2022 your best year.  You are a Catholic with regular access to the sacraments, you have a network of men around you to keep you accountable, and you are a man capable of embracing a life of virtue and putting on the new man as God made you to.  

I hope you can join us as we get ready to take up the Exodus 90 challenge again this year.  Look for a telegram invite and prayerfully consider either joining other men willing to take it up with you, or crafting another great game plan or regimen for yourself this New Year.  

Finally, whatever you choose to do, let’s stick together.  Since the most recent attacks on the Latin Mass from Rome, I have observed a lot of anxiety within the TLM community.  Thankfully, these attacks are bringing out much zeal for the faith as Traditional Catholics are banding together to defend the Latin Mass.  And fortunately, I have not seen much inner Catholic fighting within the broader Church at this time.  The reality is, if the attacks get worse, some are going to choose to find the Latin Mass wherever they can find it, while others are going to go back to the Novus Ordo.  Please remember, as a buddy of mine recently said while we were portering the midnight mass, there are going to be saints on each side if it gets to that.  Let us please remember why these attacks are hitting us (to divide a robust, young, faithful resistant community) and let’s stick together to fight against the real Novus Ordo Seculorum (New World Order) no matter where we end up going to mass.

Challenging times are ahead.  Let’s get better together and embrace them with all the strength and virtue we can muster.

God bless,
Gadfly