— Civilization —

Movember And Being A Man

Editorial Note

Men grow mustache in MOVEMBER, a conspicuous symbol of an annual cultural event. The portmanteau word is a clarion call to raise awareness on men’s issues, predominantly prostrate and testicular cancer, with a greater emphasis on mental health and suicide. The annual event that falls in the month of November has worldwide patrons currently and has evolved into a cultural phenomenon from its modest beginnings in the year 2003 at Adelaide, Australia.

According to a 2022 report by American Cancer Society, incidence of prostate and testicular cancer is steadily increasing in the US and worldwide for unknown reasons. Though suicide rates have marginally declined globally from 2000- ‘19, it still remains the leading cause of death, higher than HIV, malaria, breast cancer, war or homicide. In the Americas suicides increased by 17% in the last 20 years though. The Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, exhorts the global population, “We cannot-and must not-ignore suicide. A WHO estimate of 2021, reveals an alarming statistic that men are twice as much vulnerable than women to commit this dastardly act. Income and financial freedom had positive correlations to suicide rates when in high-income, developed countries, an average of 16.5 deaths per 100,000 were recorded, significantly higher than the global average for men at 12.5 deaths per 100,000 population.

If wealth, income and prosperity are not exclusive determinants of one’s mental health, then the issue transcends materialism. The roots of this malady should be investigated in the spiritual and psychological dimensions. Since matter can never provide lasting happiness, a lack of spiritual nourishment could be the likely cause of weaknesses that creep into personas. Being a man is tantamount to growing in strength, rawness getting refined, acknowledging his limitations of innate weaknesses.

Man is a product of his past experiences, both good and bad and the weighted average of the positive and negative outcomes shape his personality. Many are inescapably condemned to live within the prison-walls of wounds, rejections and discriminations from the past. Irrevocable bondages become the root of one’s individuality and identity manifested in the forbidden fruits of pessimism, selfishness, lack of self-assertiveness, vindictiveness and hopelessness. The solution to this conundrum lies inside of man and not outside. Carl Jung, the legendary Swiss psychiatrist affirms, “The one who looks outside dreams and the one who looks inside awakens” and the Bible confirms in 1 Timothy, 1:7, “The Spirit of God has given us is no cowardly spirit, but rather one that makes us strong, loving and wise”.

But men have a penchant for giving excuses, “I have had a blighted past, I had a traumatic childhood, I was molested, I was never smart and I can’t change it. The irreversible past has created my irredeemable personality”. Bible empathizes with this human condition and its inherent weaknesses and instructs that the solution lies within. It is best illuminated in The Preface of Martyrs, which, the priest prays on the feast of martyrs, “You chose the weak and make them strong”. Men are indeed weak on their own but gain strength by being in communion with the Lord. It is a daily choice to reassure oneself that there is hope and promise, since, according to 1 John 4:4, “The one who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world” as the same Spirit motivated the new leader for the House of Israel in Joshua, three times in the Old Testament Book of Joshua 1:6-9 to be “strong and courageous” and neither be frightened nor dismayed. The singular reason for this encouragement was not due to any human merit, but because God reiterates, that He will be with Joshua wherever he goes and will never leave or forsake him. This benediction extended to Joshua in BC 13^th century Canaan Land, is still available to every human in AD 21^st century world.  

Another great illustration of this fact is found in Matthew 14:22-23 when Peter saw Jesus walking on water. Jesus asks him to come to him and involuntarily Peter starts to walk on water toward Jesus. As long as he was able to fix his gaze on the Lord, he defied human physiological impossibility and gravity to walk on water by the strength of God. But, midway through the traverse, he became acutely aware of his limitation and believed in it that he can’t walk on water. And he started sinking. When people pride on their power, when they look at themselves and their faults, bondages and weaknesses and the ponderous weight of their situations, they can’t move forward. But when they are reliant on the power of God and strength of the Spirit residing within, they accomplish impossible feats.

The contemporary Uber and metrosexual man are obsessed with physical fitness and toning their body, which is a laudable endeavor. Healthy body is indispensable for a healthy mind and true to the old adage, “Holiness is wholeness”. In Catholic theology, supernatural builds upon the natural. While commitment and discipline are expended for a well-toned body, how many have the spiritual commitment and discipline to nourish the soul through prayer and communion? In the end of our earthly sojourn, only “The Spirit gives life; the flesh is useless”, as stated in John 6:63. Therefore, it’s imperative to cultivate a disciplined prayer life to insulate from the worldly temptations and sinfulness. Strength of character is a prerequisite to repent and to grow in love amidst the trials and tribulations that buffet a man’s personal sphere.

One of the most challenging ordeals of a man in contemporary society is self-control, exacerbated by the Internet and digital revolution. In the experience of priests, as narrated by an Archbishop of Denver, 70% of real-world problems encountered by men are rooted in lust. With the explosion of pornographic content and exposure from young, impressionable ages, many men retrogress into sexual addictions. The consequences are lack of empathy and feeling, non-committal in relationships which, often leads to withdrawal, lethargy and depression.

 St. Paul clarifies in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” that warrants maintenance similar to a temple. By exercising self-control, through the power of prayer and perseverance, men should learn to use their bodies as written in The Letter to the Romans, 6:13 as “Instruments of righteousness” by eschewing sinful pursuits. The abiding principle is that men are not at liberty to use their bodies recklessly for their own vanity, but rather, necessitates the need to “Glorify God in your body”, according to 1 Corinthians 6:20.

To conquer lust and profligate instincts, men require little more than just prayer and discipline. It is the value of good friendships, where there is symbiotic growth and mentoring. The Book of Proverbs, brings out this theme beautifully in 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another”. Men should take onus for their actions not only for themselves but also for the moral and spiritual edification of his friends and fellow-men! For, the Bible cautions in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Bad company corrupts good morals”.

MOVEMBER presents a great opportunity for men-folk around the world to do diligent soul-searching to reassess the quality of their soul. Pro-active steps to raise awareness on men’s physical health should be juxtaposed with addressing the psychological and spiritual vacuum in their lives and the latter should assume priority in a world in turmoil. Self-discipline and obedience to the Word of God are indispensable virtues for a healthy mind and body, exemplified by 1 Samuel, 15:22, “To obey is better than sacrifice”. Let the MOVEMBER mustache, also become, an enduring symbol of men’s spiritual renaissance.