What is Jared doing reading a woman’s magazine? Well, why is a woman’s magazine interviewing the Brett McKay, the founder of “The Art of Manliness”? So, enough of the questioning my masculinity for “liking” Verily on Facebook and let’s get onto our discussion of manliness. By the way, you can purchase a subscription to Verily and your beloved can receive the work of art in her real mailbox; it looks to be a wonderful contribution to femininity.
“…ex tota virtute tua…” Mk 12:30
Everyone has their favorite verse and this is mine. Granted, mine is not exactly the whole verse. I like the shortened part-verse idea. It reminds me of a bishop’s motto. Given that the laity “are by baptism made one body with Christ and are constituted among the People of God; they are in their own way made sharers in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly functions of Christ; and they carry out for their own part the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the world.” LG 4:31
I have taken on a personal motto in a similar vein to a bishop. He is the spiritual father of his diocese and I am the spiritual leader of my domestic church. Therefore, we each get a cool motto.
The common translation of this verse is “with all your strength.” When I was young, this verse gave me the idea of physical strength. Years later, I would learn that “virtue” can sometimes mean “strength” and “manliness.” Eventually I would look up this verse in the Vulgate and see the word virtute rather than another word likepotestatem which means “power”. Using virtute, it seems the verse could also read “with all your virtue.” This personal motto is mine not because it describes me, but because it prescribes what I need to do. Picture it like a poster in the football locker room that says “Never give up.”
McKay was asked if he thinks there are misconceptions about society’s view of manliness. His response included:
“I ask men about what it is to be a man and I get the kind of answers that you would expect: being aggressive, being macho, and being domineering. This is our modern American idea of masculinity. But if you were to ask the same question over a century ago, you would get answers that define manhood as being a person of virtue, having courage, having honor, and having resolve.”
Like McKay, I think the older version is not just more accurate, but also right. I think this has been the classical understanding of manliness throughout centuries and even goes back to the etymology of the word itself.
Vir = Man
Sometimes it takes going to a cave and re-learning. Men need to re-find the basics of manliness. They need to enter, convert, and exit again. After they leave the dark cavern, he may see masculinity as it really is. He comes in thinking it is brutish and may leave understanding manhood is virtuous. He may enter the cave on his two feet of selfishness and power but he may…
”come out of your (his) cave walking on your (his) hands
And see the world hanging upside down
You (He) can understand dependence
When you (he) know the maker’s hand”
Mumford and Sons, The Cave
Dependence is key here. Our true understanding of manliness will only be possible if we hang (dependere, Latin for to hang) on Him. Being virtuous is hard work but His grace is sufficient. Part of seeing manliness in a new way comes with the understanding that “virtus in infirmitate perficitur” or “virtue is made perfect in weakness.”
St. Josemaria Escriva came out of the cave and this is what he found:
“There is need for a crusade of manliness and purity to counteract and undo the savage work of those who think that man is a beast. And that crusade is a matter for you.” Escriva, The Way 121
