A family member sent this to me and I thought it was an awesome way to show your love to the women in your life. It is written by a Catholic writer so those of you who aren't Catholic will have to adjust it a bit to fit you denomination. Here it is.
Husbands Crucified
E5 Men: A Profound Way to Love Women
by Bud Macfarlane
Being an E5 man has helped my marriage and it can help yours too. As
an E5 man I fast on bread and water until midnight on the first
Wednesday of the month. I began fasting during a difficult period in
my marriage after my friend Steve Habisohn suggested it would help.
Like many of you, I rarely fasted, but I gave it a try for a few months
and the transformation has been dramatic. To get started you sign up at
the E5 Men website and receive a reminder email from Steve at the
beginning of each month:
No dues. No meetings. Fasting is not very complicated and neither is
E5 Men. Its all about a man voluntarily taking on suffering to help a
woman.
"E5" comes from Ephesians, Chapter 5: "Husbands, love your wives
as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her." Jesus gave up
his body for his bride, the Church, and we give up our bodies for our
brides through fasting. Its a perfectly chivalrous act and it will make
the woman in your life feel like a princess.
I have to admit that I took Steves advice without really understanding
how fasting would change my life. Here are ten ways E5 Men can
change yours too.
1. NO TALK
Being an E5 man is about taking action. This is why it appeals to men.
It is not about talk. Its about solving problems by doing something
that works. You will catch on after a few Wednesdays.
2. CALLING ALL MEN
E5 Men is for every man. If youre a guy and you are a baptized
Christian, youre in. Weve all hurt the women in our lives in one way
or another. Fasting is a selfless way to make up for the harm we and
other men have done. Im fasting with executives, jerks, alcoholics,
lawyers, nerds, blue collar guys. Single men fast for their future wives.
Protestant and Catholic men are fasting in union with Christ.
3. BANDS OF BROTHERS
E5 Men is a team sport. Five of my best friends join me during the
Wednesday fast. I fast for their wives, future wives, and girlfriends
while they climb on the Cross for my wife. We encourage each other
with emails and phone calls. You, me, or any normal guy is not going
to let his buddies (or our women) down. Your friends will want in on
the action, too.
4. TENS OF THOUSANDS
Steve and I believe there will soon be tens of thousands of E5 Men.
Imagine the power of having such a vast army suffering for your bride.
5. FORTRESS OF FLESH
Fasting works because the devil just cant stand suffering. You can.
Not only can you stand ityou will even enjoy it. This is not a selfish
"macho" thing. This is realistic spiritual toughness. Saint Paul said,
"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my
share on behalf of His body, which is the Church, in filling up what is
lacking in Christs afflictions." (Colossians 1:24) When you fast, you
and Christ form a fortress of flesh that protects the woman you love.
6. SUPERNATURAL FIREPOWER
Our Lord did not merely
suggest that some demons can only be driven
out by prayer and fasting. Guys, listen up. As a man you will find it
extremely satisfying to pull back that bolt, calmly load a Wednesday of
bread and water into the chamber, then start pumping round after
round into the soft white underbelly of the Dragon of Death. This is
war, and you and I were made for war. It never gets easy, but that soft
thud you are going to hear is the sweet sound of the dragon which has
been hurting your wife hitting the ground. Maybe the dragon is the
devil. Perhaps the dragon is your own anger. Either way, that beast is
going down.
7. SPECIAL FORCES
After completing Basic Training (fasting on the first Wednesday) many
of us start seeing such tremendous improvement in our marriages that
we start fasting on the other Wednesdays of the month for women
other than our wives. We fast for women who have had abortions, for
women in abusive marriages, for old girlfriends, for our moms, aunts,
and sisters, and for all women in need. E5 men are pretty much fasting
for the women in your life already. Will you leave the battle to others?
Of course not.
8. RECEIVING THE BODY
Your wife will soon discover that a major change is taking place and
will want to know how she can be a part of E5 Men. The contribution
of E5 Women is profound and complimentary. When Christ addressed
his bride during the Last Supper, He said, "This is my body, given up
for you," and then He literally gave it up on the Cross the next day.
The fitting response for the woman in your life is to "receive the body"
which Christ offers. Many E5 Women therefore attend Mass on the
first Wednesday to mystically receive the sacrifice of our body by
receiving Christ in the Eucharist. Any woman, single or married, is
welcome to participate. Ladies, you will receive a monthly reminder
email written especially for E5 women when you sign up on the
website.
9. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
Our culture has embraced the Big Lie that men and women are exactly
the same. It lies by telling men that you are not the head of your
family. It claims you are weak and your manhood is meaningless. The
result? Women are treated like objects. They feel ugly, worthless and
used. The truth is, women are the most beautiful creatures in Gods
universe. We men know it. Women need our strength and protection.
The forces of evil want to keep men impotent by tempting us to be
slaves to disordered sexual desire, television, greed, careers, food
you name it. If I have learned anything by being an E5 Man, its that I
would much rather suffer for a woman than for myself. That is the
great and noble calling of every man.
10. YOU ARE A KING
The fact is, through your baptism you were adopted into a royal family.
Jesus is King of Kings, and He has appointed you lord of your home.
As an E5 Man, you are about to find out that you are perfectly capable
of self-mastery. Fasting is gritty practice in "ruling" yourself. E5 Men
is an army of kings. Join me. The crown is already on your head. Make
it the crown of thorns. It is long past time to bring peace to our
kingdoms, one family at time, as men crucified with Christ for the
women we love.
Bud Macfarlane Jr.
As author of three bestselling novels, Bud Macfarlane is one of the
most popular Catholic writers in America, as well as the director of the
Mary Foundation, the world's largest producer of Catholic audio tapes
and CDs.
"Husbands Crucified" was originally written for
Buds online newsletter, the CatholiCity Message,
and this flyer may be reproduced as long as no
changes, deletions or additions are made to the
original text, including this notice. To receive Buds
free online newsletter, click here:
