How many have seen the video of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s epic splits? When I first saw it, it almost moved me to tears, so amazing was it! It’s just too good!

I bring it up because we’re made for excellence. We pay to see the best hockey players, musicians, and artists. We don’t pay to see mediocrity (unless they’re our family!). We’re captivated by mastery. When I showed the school kids navy soldiers spin rifles, they’re were all watching.

We’re made for excellence. We aim to do our best in school, work, with our family. We always want our children to be better than we, to have a better life than we do. We’re not made to be out-of-shape, lazy, sad.

A few other people who inspire me: Fr. Frank Doyle, SJ, my first confessor

The monks at Westminster Abbey

I remember seeing a woman making the sign of the cross very slowly and deliberately. When people apologize, that inspires me! Discipline inspires: getting up early, going to bed early, praying daily. We may not like it, we may find it hard to do, but laziness inspires no one. P.K. Subban’s trainer said about him: “He goes home and sleeps after his workout; he’s not up running around, partying.”

Jesus today breathes on his disciples and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The word inspire means breathe into in Latin. And Jesus is constantly breathing His love and truth into us. He does it whenever we feel a call to be more like Him, to do what’s right, what’s loving, and follow the truth. Whenever we feel a nudge to work hard, pray, and apologize, He’s breathing into us.

125 men came to the retreat yesterday, giving up their time. Doesn’t this inspire us? When people start reflecting deeply, make hard choices, doesn’t this inspire us? When we ask that question, God is saying, “You can and should do the same.”

Going along with the crowd and doing what’s wrong inspires no one, but drags people down with us. People going to Mass even when it’s difficult.

Last Wednesday, I was doing marriage papers until midnight because they had to be done. Afterwards, I drove to my mother’s place to start my day of rest, and was so thirsty, I stopped by Tim Horton’s for a smoothly. When I went through the drive through, I met a parishioner who recognized me and she said she never misses Mass. She will finish her graveyard shift, and then go to morning Mass on Sunday—that’s inspiring!

It’s not about doing the absolute best, but being the best we can be, who we’re called to be. People who go to Confession over and over again to fight against their sins inspire me. There’s no shame in falling down; the shame is giving up the war and in saying, “I didn’t sin” when we know we did.

The key is to respond to the inspirations. Jesus invites, but never forces. Fr. Justin invites but never forces; I beg (maybe bribe!), get the saints to work against you, but never force.

We have a great retreat yesterday, but the danger is that we have a spiritual high, then crash. Jake Khym said the devil likes to deceive, so he wants us to think, “Great retreat,” and that’s it. It’s like when people say they like my homily, but it’s useless if they don’t follow it. We have to respond and change our lives. What are we doing to respond?

Let me end with an inspiring letter, of a friend who wrote his daughter when she wanted to move in with her boyfriend (Cohabitation is wrong because the temptation is so great that it’s assumed they’re having sex outside of marriage, and so it’s a scandal).

“The day you came into this world… I was the first one to hold you, carry you, touch you, and see your… eyes gaze up to meet my own gaze of you. We had a brief moment that I shared with you prior to presenting you to your mom. That moment changed me. That moment made me a better man. That moment made me experience love like I never understood love before.

You have come to ask of me to assist you with moving in with [your boyfriend]. This is such a painful request you are asking of me.

You see, that day God made me a dad, I was called to love you like I have never loved anyone one else before. My love for you is never-ending, undying, self-sacrificing and unconditional. My love is to protect you from physical, mental, and emotional pain as well as give you sound advice that, although you tell me not to share my opinion with you, I know that you will take it to heart. I will always love you no matter what mistakes you make. You are and will always be my little girl even when you have a boyfriend, or get married, or become a mother yourself, or even if you move to the other side of the world. This love started from the moment I first held you in my arms, and it never dies.

I want you to know today that I still love you…. I want you to see that love in my eyes, in my smile on my face, and in the warmth of my hugs (and kisses that you deny me to give to you). You are so valuable to me.

I must tell you again; My love for you is unconditional. This means that I am always trying to do what is best for you; even if it upsets you (encouraging good morals and discipline is hard work). I want to protect you. I need you to know that I am fighting for you right now. I want you to remain a part of my life, your mom’s life…. I want you to… reconsider some of the choices you are making… I want to provide a safe, healthy, loving environment that will let you flourish into the woman you are becoming…

I need to tell you [and your boyfriend] something and I am not going to mince words. I do not believe moving in together is in both of your’s best interests. [Then he addresses her boyfriend:] As much as you might believe the opposite, having my daughter move in with you… is disrespect[ful] to her and to yourself. Moving in together is a great responsibility on many levels. But most importantly is having my daughter live with you upholding her dignity, her beauty, her preciousness as a woman? How will you be able to provide for her, protect her, but most importantly stay by her faithfully and give her the love she truly needs, desires and wants that is yearning so deep in her heart? Is what you are both proposing a love that is free, total, and faithful? These are question you both need to ponder and truly give time to reflect and answer to one another and to us as well. If you really love each other you will start to openly engage in these types of questions and try to uncover the truths behind them and act responsibly by upholding these truths.

[To his daughter:] I have failed you… I did not talk to you about this sooner or properly. I did not provide you with this level of love and respect. In the past I did not stand up to these values that I hold so dearly and deeply in my heart for you. You deserve the best from me and I want to give that to you right now and you can expect me to follow through with this promise going forward. I want to be a father to you, who is strong, courageous and protective.”

This inspires me to be a better priest, to love unconditionally, never give up on people, and to speak the truth lovingly. I’m not always like this, so I want to try.

All men are made to be fathers like this. Respond to the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. We’re made for excellence.