The Three Marks of Manhood:  Priest, Prophet, King

Be the Priest

Are you the spiritual leader of your home?
Do you lead family prayers?
Are you the one encouraging preparation for Mass and seeing to it that the family is on time?
Are you living a life of sacrifice?
Have you accepted your duty as head-catechist in your family?


These are tough questions and are of the utmost importance in living out the call to be the "man of the house".  St. Augustine called married men, "Co-episcopi" or "fellow bishops".  He could only say this if he realized the role that each father has in leading his family to Christ by becoming first both priest and victim.  In this he imitates his divine Master and Shepherd by laying down his life for his "sheep".  He does this primarily by:

  • Being an example of living a sacrificial and penitential life
  • Not conforming to the ways of the "world"
  • Suffering through making tough decisions for the benefit of his family
  • Living the exclusivity of his marriage faithfully by sustaining purity at all costs
  • Providing a holy and safe home for his wife and family through the work of his hands
  • Encouraging authentic Catholic culture in and out of his home
  • Know what you believe and live it - walk the talk!

Be the Prophet 

Are you a faithful witness to your faith?
Do you speak the truth in the face of injustice, lies, and political correctness?
Do you give in to difficulties at work and at home?
Do compromise with the "world" in order to avoid confrontation?


Anyone that knows anything about the lives of the prophets of the Old Testament knows that with the office of prophet comes martyrdom.  As men we are given a great ability to be magnanimous, the only problems lies in how we apply this magnanimity.  We must learn to always be willing to give for Our Lord, our Church, and our family, rather than our self.  This office of prophet ties right in with the office of priest and encourages us to live the following:


  • Speaking the truth in our home and to culture by purposely choosing to insulate our family from evil influences
  • Providing our families with a prophetic witness and willingness to be a martyr for the Faith, even in the small matters
  • Being radically open to life and procreativity
  • Living a life of "no compromise" and "no compartmentalization" of our faith
  • Developing a strong prayer life in order to learn God's will for one's life and family

Be the King

Are you the true leader of your family?
Do you wield the scepter in a wise and humble manner?
Are you willing to take the consequences of tough decisions - and are you willing to make those tough decisions?
Do you seek holy and wise counsel?
Do you regularly renew your consecration to the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts?
Are you willing to live the indissolubility and exclusivity of your sacramental marriage faithfully?


While the most obvious way a man is king of his household is in his decision-making authority, the real way he lives this office is through his imitation of the Christ, the True King.  Our Lord lived his kingship in humility which culminated in His offering his life on the Throne of the Cross.  In reality, the threefold roles of Priest, Prophet, and King are completely united in the perfect human, the God-man, Christ Jesus.  His Kingship is most shown through his priestly Sacrifice, which came about by His faithful witness in His Prophetic nature.  As fathers and head of our families we live this kingship through:


  • Being a faithful and humble decision maker in our home
  • Secure and strong leadership
  • Protecting our families from the pervasive evil of the mass media and self-centered culture
  • Being the first and last in battle - fighting for purity, and living procreatively
  • Being a manly mentor to other men, and seeking wise manly counsel
  • Poverty and Chastity
Picture
" Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him.  And the soldiers platting a crown of thorns, put it upon his head; and they put on him a purple garment.  And they came to him, and said: Hail, king of the Jews; and they gave him blows.  Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith to them: Behold, I bring him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in him.  (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them: Behold the Man."

St. John 19:1-5

"When at the dinner table the milk is inevitably spilled, does the Christian patriarch say "yes" to this small but often surprising sharp pain to his will?  If not, how will he say "yes" to the spilling of the very blood of martyrdom?"

from The Three Marks of Manhood by Dilsaver.