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What’s the weekly mettle maker?
Training tips and educational info in support of our free programs, that’s what! What’s mettle? Mettle is, “The ability to meet a challenge or persevere under demanding circumstances; determination or resolve.”
Mettle maker #456: Unity
The shared theme of our recent updates is “UNITY.” After public debate and review by the board of Heritage Arts, Inc., we’re proud to announce that we have made some updates to the way things are done around these parts.
The first update is to our Student Pledge:
“To North, South, East and West we send our plea; that we may be blessed by our Creator and the Better Angels of our Nature; train with Sincerity, outside the influence of evil forces; and embody the virtues of Wonder, Sagacity, Frugality, Indomitability, and Fraternity. Ex Gladio Scientia. Ruh!”
We feel that this update shortens the pledge and puts it more in tune with our colonial vibe. But more importantly, it employs language that is more unifying for all our members. Onward and upward!
New Heritage Rough ‘n’ Tumble Bandana Rank Table
We also updated and unified the colored bandana rank system for the Rough ‘n’ Tumble program such that everyone, both distance and local learners, use the same colors.
And lastly, we affirmed that the distance and local training programs will continue to share the same trials (we call our rank exams “trials”).
We feel strongly that we must be as unified and equal as possible in the what we do.
And now, so that you won’t be disappointed by not getting any martial and/or fitness material for two weeks in a row…
Fight Ready Protocol
This has been become a training staple around these parts. Get there. See video below.
Set watch, round timer, or a cell phone app for 18 rounds of :30/:15 (that’s 30 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest) for a total of 13.5minutes.
Start the timer and work your heavy bag with maximum power — no pacing yourself — for 6 rounds.
Then work your grappling dummy for 6 rounds.
Then work your floor bag for 6 rounds.
If it’s too hard and you needed to take longer breaks, next time lengthen the breaks. If it’s too easy, shorten the breaks next time.
Work this with dedication and you might eventually get fight ready — that is, able to fight nonstop for three, three-minute rounds with no breaks — 9 minutes straight (a fairly standard boxer’s test).
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Holy Eucharist is LIVE on YouTube every Sunday at 10 am EASTERn. Click HERE to watch live. To view and print a copy of the program for holy Eucharist, CLICK HERE.
Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter 5/4/25 – Father Mitch
Readings: Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41, Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13, Rev 5:11-14, John 21:1-19
John 21:1-19 World English Bible
After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,† Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”
They told him, “We are also coming with you.” They immediately went out and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing. 4 But when day had already come, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples didn’t know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus therefore said to them, “Children, have you anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
They cast it therefore, and now they weren’t able to draw it in for the multitude of fish. 7 That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”
So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits‡ away), dragging the net full of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a fire of coals there, with fish and bread laid on it. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of one hundred fifty-three great fish. Even though there were so many, the net wasn’t torn.
12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast!”
None of the disciples dared inquire of him, “Who are you?” knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Then Jesus came and took the bread, gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples after he had risen from the dead. 15 So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?”
He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.”
He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?”
He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.”
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?”
Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you don’t want to go.”
19 Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
Brothers and sisters, we are so filled with joy by the Holy Spirit that we want to share our joy with those who have not heard the Gospel. But as we attempt to identify our target audience and get the message to those who are not a part of Christ’s church, we unconsciously split the world into two camps: the converted and the non-converted. But as much as we might want to save unbelievers from the fires of hell, and rightly so, I would like to suggest that we un-simplify things for a moment or two.
As J. Warner Wallace has pointed out in his books and videos¹, over 1 billion Hindus consider Jesus either a revered guru, yogi, teacher, or even saint. Half a billion Buddhists consider Jesus a revered teacher of one kind or another. The Dali Llama, the world’s most prominent Buddhist leader, has called Jesus a Bodhisattva – a person who, in the Buddhist tradition, has delayed his Buddhahood and journey to nirvana in order to stay and minister to others.
The world’s 1.9 billion Muslims believe that Jesus is a prophet and messenger of God who will sit beside God at the final judgment. Over 9 million followers of the Baháʼí faith believe that Jesus is the Son of God, was born of a virgin, worked miracles, died on a cross, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven. And finally, a 2017 survey of Jewish millennials born between 1984 and 1999 revealed that 21 percent of them believe Jesus was “God in human form who lived among people in the 1st century” and 42% of them celebrate Christmas.²
Jesus’ message has spread so far and wide that he appears in the scriptures and traditions of the four most popular non-Christian religions. So powerful is Jesus’ message that over 5 billion non-Christians today venerate Jesus, even if they've never read a single paragraph of the Holy Bible. If you add in professing Christians, that means that at least 4 out of 5 people on Earth – over 80% of the world’s population! – believe that Jesus is the moral teacher we should be turning to for guidance. And that’s without even adding in all of atheists and agnostics who deeply respect the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.
Two thousand years after his short, 3-year preaching career and scandalous execution, the teachings of an obscure, itinerant preacher from a backwater town have found their way into almost every beating human heart. If that isn’t a miracle, I don’t know what is!
Brothers and sisters, as we see in our readings today, Jesus died for Peter’s sake and then, as Jesus predicted, Peter died for the sake of Jesus’ Gospel. St. Peter humbled himself before God and allowed himself to be carried, by donkey and wagon, by ship and by the hands of others, all over the world in order to do his work and feed Jesus sheep. Jesus, it seems, picked the right man to be the rock of his church.
Blessed St. Peter! Here is the man who, after promising to be steadfast, denies Jesus three times; who repents his weakness, affirms his love for Jesus three times, then defies the authorities. Here is the man who, to feed Jesus’ lambs and sheep, follows Jesus to the cross. Here is the man who refuses even to be crucified upright in the manner of Christ, instead wishing to be hung head downwards. It is as if his feet are longing to reach up and stride upon the broad sidewalks of heaven. Here is the blessed St. Peter who started it all. And now, look at where the Gospel stands!
† 21:2 or, Twin
‡ 21:8 200 cubits is about 100 yards or about 91 meters
¹ J. Warner Wallace, “Other Religions Point to Jesus,” YouTube, May 2, 2025, https://youtu.be/A_8CP74YFlg
² Ben Sales, “Jews for Jesus poll: 1/5 of Jewish millennials believe Christ was God,” Jewish Times, November 1, 2017, https://www.timesofisrael.com/jews-for-jesus-poll-15-of-jewish-millennials-believe-christ-was-god