Some Rules Were Meant to be Broken
Rachel Allen had some rules for the young women today. She gave them some great ways to help them to discover God’s limitless love and perpetual support. Matt Fradd had some rules for the young men as well. However, they were rules that limit God’s work in their lives (which should be ‘Limitless’), so these are ones to break.
Rule #1. Never Get Into a Fight
Matt assured the men that they were, in fact, created to fight, but to fight valiantly. Real men fight for a cause, like their faith, social justice, and the dignity of women. He quoted the wise words of St. Peter who once said, “Always be ready to give a defense for the hope that resides within you.”
Rule #2. Never Think About Sex
It is widely known that it is virtually impossible for anyone, much less a young man, to follow this rule. Matt brought relief when he challenged the crowd to simply think about sex in the way God intended it. After all, God created sex and all the mysteries that comes with it. Freedom is found when we think about sex as a self-gift, rather than as something to obtain.
Rule #3. Never Give Into Peer Pressure
“This is true if your peers are idiots, but why would you hang out with idiots?” Matt encouraged the men to surround themselves with brothers who love them and speak the truth to them.
Rule #4. Play it Safe
Matt challenged the young men to step outside of their comfort zones. He dared them to make bold decisions. On a semi-related note: If people can freak out over sports, then why can’t we freak out over something that actually matters, like our faith? Point well taken. A “holy roar” shook the rafters after Matt finished his speech.
Rule #5. Never Ask for Directions
For some reason this rule is ingrained in the minds of men. Matt told the crowd that there is nothing emasculating about calling on their brothers and sisters to help them when they are struggling. Rather, asking for help empowers them to let God work in their lives.
Recap:
Matt shared these breakable rules, after an inspiring tale about his own struggles with pornography and the inspiration he found in St. Maximilian Kolbe. You can listen to the full audio of his talk above.
Quotables
“Who we desire to be as men, in fact, is who God is commanding us to be.”
“You can take this to the bank: The further entrenched in sin we are, the more rational insanity seems.”
“Freedom is a daily, sometimes hourly, choice.”
” ‘Be fruitful and multiply’ did not mean ‘grow pineapples and invent calculators.’ “
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