©2025 Victor R. Claveau, MJ
A typical dictionary will generally define man as “the human individual as representing the species, without reference to sex; the human race; humankind.” Certainly, this definition is most simplistic as man is a complex being, made by God in His image (Gen. 1:26-27).
This “Image of God” is in the spiritual part of man’s nature, in his soul and its faculties of intellect and free will, which set him apart from all other creatures. However, “[a] man” can also defined as an “adult male person, as distinguished from a boy or a woman.”
What makes a person truly a man in every sense of the word? Do we not measure a person’s manliness by his character or virtue [Lat., manliness, power]? Are there not certain traits that society admires above others? Is there an ideal role model who we can and must emulate?
In all of human history, there is only one ideal role model—Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God. By His recorded words and actions, so human and yet so exalted, we instinctively judge Him a superior being. The Son revealed himself to us by coming among us as a man like us in all things except sin (cf. Heb. 4:15). Jesus distinguished himself by his extraordinary ethical perfection or holiness.
Jesus was a man of Courage.
“Fortitude [Courage] is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, §1808).
Fortitude is a gift from God (2 Tim. 1:7; 2:1; Eph. 3:10f; Phil. 4:14; 1 Pet. 5:10) and a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22).
Jesus was courageous when faced with ridicule, rejection, persecution, and death. Jesus foresaw his death by crucifixion and did not run away (Mt 26:2). In the agony at Gethsemani, he courageously submitted to the will of his Father, and accepted the bitter cup (Jn. 18:11; Mt. 26:42). He died so that we might have eternal life
We too must be courageous.
Jesus was a man of Honor.
Honor is the open recognition of another’s worth or dignity.
The New Testament mentions three dimensions of honor: that due to God, to Jesus, and to others.
We are called to honor the Father: “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim. 1:17).
The final purpose of everything Jesus did was for the honor and glory of his Father, including, willingly sacrificing his life.
We are called to honor Jesus. This honor of Jesus appears in the doxology of Revelation, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12). In honoring Jesus, we also honor the Father (Jn. 56:23).
Children are expected to show honor and respect to their parents (Mt. 15:4). We are also called to honor others (1 Pet. 2:17, particularly, fellow Christians: “love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:10).
Honor is mentioned among the rewards of eternal life ((Rom. 2:7, 10). We will reap what we sow!
We must be men of honor.
Jesus was a man of Integrity
Jesus was a man of Intellectual and spiritual integrity.
A man of integrity is one who adheres to moral and ethical principles; of high moral character; in a word—truthful.
“As a matter of honor, one man owes it to another to manifest the truth” (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh II-II, 109, 3, corp. art.)
When we say that a person is “a man of honor” we usually think of a person giving “his word as his bond.” In other words, a man who keeps his word, a trustworthy, truthful person. He says what he means and means what he says (Mt. 5:37).
“In Jesus Christ, the whole of God’s truth has been made manifest. ‘Full of grace and truth,’hecame as the ‘light of the world,” he is the Truth. “Whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.’ The disciple of Jesus continues in his word so as to know ‘the truth [that] will make you free’ and that sanctifies. To follow Jesus is to live in ‘the Spirit of truth,’ whom the Father sends in his name and who leads ‘into all the truth.’ To his disciples Jesus teaches the unconditional love of truth: ‘Let what you say be simply ‘Yes or No.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, §2466).
“Christ’s disciples have ‘put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.’ By ‘putting away falsehood,’ they are to ‘put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander’” (Ibid, §2475).
We must be always truthful.
Jesus was a man of Humility.
Humility is a moral and supernatural virtue prompting in man an appreciation and external expression of his true position in regard to God, to himself and his neighbor.
Jesus, at the last supper, washed his Apostles feet; yet, at the same time He knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God (Jn 13:3).
We must acknowledge God as the only source of all graces, privileges, abilities, and success.
We must be content with the measure of graces and gifts with which we have been endowed by God. We must not be envious or the superior gifts of others. We must not think more highly of ourselves that we ought.
The envious attitude of the disciples of John towards Jesus brought this reply from John, “No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven” (Jn. 3:27). This attitude of humility was also demanded by Jesus, when he recommended his followers to become like little children (i.e., to imitate the innocence and simplicity of childhood, its readiness to accept truth without question) in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 18:3f, Mk. 10:15).
A man must be willing to become lowly and to serve others, but this determination should be based on the will of God and the example of Jesus. Thus, in the words of Jesus, “whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mt. 20:26-28).
This attitude of humility requires that we refrain from judging others too rashly (Mt. 7:1-5), that we tolerate rebukes (cf. Mt. 15:27), and as disciple of Jesus, sustain even persecutions
(Mt. 10:25).
Jesus pointed to himself as the model of humility. We are to take his yoke upon us and learn from him, for he is gentle and humble of heart, and we shall find rest for our souls (Mt. 11:29).
As men, we to must be in submission to God and to the rightful authority of his Church.
Jesus is Perfection Personified.
Jesus calls us to perfection, “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48). We must become like Him in all things.
“Oh”, you say, “but He is God, and I am only a man, how can I be perfect?”
Jesus would not set a goal for us that is unattainable. There must be a way for us to reach perfection. However, what is this perfection of which Jesus speaks? The answer is written in the Law: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:37-39).
Jesus did not leave us orphans “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you” (Jn. 14:18). He comes to us today in the sacraments. It is through the strengthening grace of the sacraments instituted by Jesus that makes all things possible (Phil 4:13). It is only through the worthy reception of the sacraments that we can emulate Jesus and attain perfection. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3: 12-17).