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.
A Profound Way to Love Women
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. It's 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. It's a perfectly chivalrous act, and it will make the woman in your life feel like a princess.
I have to admit, I took Steve's advice without really understanding how fasting would change my life. Here are ten ways E5 Men can change yours too.
Men of Action
1. NO TALK
Being an E5 man is about taking action. This is why it appeals to men. It is not about talk. It's 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 you're a guy and you're a baptized Christian, you're in. We've 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. I'm 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 e-mails 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 can't stand suffering. You can. Not only can you stand it–you 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 Christ's afflictions.” (Colossians 1:24) When you fast, you and Christ form a fortress of flesh that protects the woman you love.
Soldier Kings
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 e-mail 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 God's 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, it's 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 is the founder and executive director of the Mary Foundation and CatholiCity.com. To request free audio tapes on the Catholic faith, contact the Mary Foundation, P.O. Box 26101, Fairview Park, OH 44126. For copies of “Pierced by a Sword” or Macfarlane’s other two novels, write to Saint Jude Media, P.O. Box 26120, Fairview Park, OH 44126.)
