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To the Ends of the Earth
Action
To the Ends of the Earth
Action
Mark C. McCann
OurSundayVisitor
www.osv.com Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division Our Sunday Visitor, Inc. Huntington, Indiana 46750
Except where noted, the Scripture citations used in this work are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible — Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition), copyright © 1965, 1966, 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Every reasonable effort has been made to determine copyright holders of excerpted materials and to secure permissions as needed. If any copyrighted materials have been inadvertently used in this work without proper credit being given in one form or another, please notify Our Sunday Visitor in writing so that future printings of this work may be corrected accordingly.
Copyright © 2019 by Mark C. McCann
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All rights reserved. With the exception of short excerpts for critical reviews, no part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without permission from the publisher. For more information, visit: www.osv.com/permissions.
Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
200 Noll Plaza
Huntington, IN 46750
1-800-348-2440
ISBN: 978-1-68192-384-0 (Inventory No. T2267)
eISBN: 978-1-68192-385-7
LCCN: 2018959071
Cover design: Tyler Ottinger
Cover art: Shutterstock.com
Interior design: Lindsey Riesen
Printed in the United States of America
To my father-in-law, Gerald Davino, who taught me that a Catholic man is both a strong leader and a solid friend, a tireless and tender provider for his family, and a serious and sober defender of the Faith. You are a true follower of Christ — a believer with an open heart, a humble worldview, and a willingness to grow as a man of God. Thank you for being a shining example of Christian manhood and for accepting me into your family. Thank you most of all for nurturing the daughter who became my beautiful bride and shared God’s salvation story with me.
Table of Contents
Week 2: Double-Minded or Fully Joyful
Week 3: Common Taters on the Axe
Week 5: God’s Still Small Voice
Week 8: Sins of the Fathers and Loving Legacies
Week 9: Dance Like No One Is Watching … But Be Ready for a Little Ridicule
Week 10: Real Strength for Real Men
Preface
We are on the path to perfection. Who we are in Christ forms the foundation for right living and sets us on the path toward a glorious eternity in the presence of our heavenly Father. If we want to reach our destination, each of us must make a commitment. We must put on the virtues God has given to us in Christ.
Are we strong in our faith, standing on the rock-solid foundation of the Word and the Church, or are we double-minded men, tossed to and fro on the waves of our own indecisiveness (cf. Eph 4:14)? Are we troubled by a painful past, locked in a prison of sin from which we cannot break free, or do we listen to the still, small voice of the One who breaks our bonds and sets our feet on the right path? We must turn our worlds upside down, being willing to lose in order to gain. We must strive with single-minded purpose to win, empowered by God alone, forgetting our past and allowing him to change us radically into the men he created us to be.
During the next ten weeks, we will be looking at the simple truths of our faith — the no-nonsense, straightforward gospel message that shows us how we should act if we want to stay on the straight and narrow path toward heaven. Throughout this study, we will focus on the virtues we need to be strong men of God. At the same time, we will be growing in fellowship with our brothers and fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (cf. Heb 12:2).
As you pore over the selected passages from Scripture throughout this study, remember that all of our actions should be rooted in love. Love is the glue that holds all other virtues together; the beautiful gift that completes our faith and moves us along the path of salvation (cf. Col 3:14). Be sure to spend quality time with other men, sharing openly about what it means to be given a second chance in Christ, to carry through our trials in his strength, and to love others as he has loved us.
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.
Those who want to take things a step further 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