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The Battle For Holiness Day 40 of Exodus 90: A Journey Toward Freedom and Brotherhood

The Battle For Holiness

Day 40 of Exodus 90: A Journey Toward Freedom and Brotherhood

Given all the “spare time” we now have, given we aren’t tied up in nonessential distractions, I have spent that time sharpening my mind by reading several books that have been sitting by my nightstand for years while also discovering the audiobook service Libby.  I am currently on book number 7.  And to be honest, it has been years since I have knocked out more than 2 or 3 books over the course of the year. But as we reach the (almost) midpoint of this Exodus 90 journey, I’ve found inspiration not only in scripture and prayer but also in the wisdom of military strategy. Great military leaders have long understood that discipline, preparation, and unity determine victory or defeat. And as we fight our own spiritual battles, these same principles hold true. We are not just individuals on a self-improvement plan—we are soldiers in the Church Militant, or perhaps a cult if you will, engaged in a war that demands vigilance, courage, and brotherhood.

Victory and defeat hinge on a single moment: the decision to give in to sin or to resist. Adam and Eve lost their battle, but Jesus showed us the way to triumph—He met Satan’s temptations head-on and stood firm. Like soldiers on the battlefield, we must be prepared for these moments. Temptation is our enemy’s weapon, and we cannot afford to be caught off guard. Discipline in prayer, fasting, and fraternity prepares us to fight back. But even the strongest soldiers get wounded—and when we fall, we must not wallow in defeat. One of my favorite lines from a recent Daily Rosary Meditation was “If you do sin, if you do get wounded by one of Satan’s snipers or step on a landmine, just go find a medic, go to confession, and get that wound bandaged up. Stop the bleeding, get back into the battle and keep fighting. We need you out there.” I guess that was a much cooler way of saying, “get up, rub some dirt on it, and get back in the game.”  

I know a lot of us have been struggling with this and the slip ups here and there.  And that is OK, that is why brotherhood and accountability is such a huge part of this program.  Because a warrior never fights alone. In war, a lone soldier is an easy target—Satan knows this and works tirelessly to isolate us through many of the things we have given up in the past 40 days. But Jesus calls us to fight together, side by side. We need our brothers in arms, holding each other accountable, standing guard over each other’s weaknesses, and pressing forward as one. The greatest Generals understood that an army is only as strong as its unity. That is why Satan’s strategy is to tempt us, to divide us, to strike one soldier at a time until we are broken and alone. But bound together in virtuous friendships, we become unbreakable.    

Stay in the fight. Don’t give up.  If you need to sneak those six peanuts or have that glass of bourbon, DO IT.  And then get back up and continue moving forward.  Because even with these small slip ups, we are all still better than we were.  And that is the purpose of this program, to make us all better men, husbands, dads, etc. So when you get sniped – even if it is a mere flesh wound- find a medic, get patched up and get back out there.  Because your peeps need you. 

Only 50 more days to go.  


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