Spending a gorgeous fall Saturday at a Ten Commandments retreat is probably not what you would expect junior high and high school boys to choose. But a couple weeks ago, that is exactly how 49 boys from a Catholic parish in Iowa chose to spend their Saturday.
Helping Young Hearts Stay on the Path to the Ultimate Destination:
During a recent trip to Des Moines, I had the privilege of giving a retreat to a group of junior high and high school boys. What an inspiring day it was! Their enthusiasm, curiosity, and openness to understanding the faith reminded me why passing on our Catholic faith to young people is so important — and so hopeful.
“Why Did God Give Us the Commandments?”
That was the theme of the day. To begin, I showed the boys a visual of several winding paths running through a dense forest. At the far end shone the bright light of Christ. One path clearly led toward Him, while the others veered into the darker parts of the forest. This became our central analogy: the Ten Commandments guide us along the right path — to Jesus — and keep us from wandering into the shadows.
The boys connected with this visual instantly. They understood that the Commandments aren’t a list of restrictions but a roadmap to friendship, freedom and heaven.
The Weight of Sin
To help them see how sin affects us, I set up a simple obstacle course. One boy ran it unburdened while everyone cheered. Then I placed 10-pound weights in his hands and explained, “These weights represent the sins we carry.” When he ran again, he was noticeably slower.
This visual hit home. They saw that sin weighs us down — mentally, spiritually, emotionally. It closes doors, drains our energy, and keeps us from becoming who God created us to be.
Walking Through the Commandments
We then explored each commandment, one by one.
The first three — our relationship with God — led to a rich discussion. We talked about modern “strange gods”: video games, sports, money, popularity. The boys named their own examples and realized how easily these things pull us off the right path.
Commandments 4–10 focus on our relationships with one another. We talked about:
The conversations were thoughtful, honest, and hopeful. These boys understood far more than we often give young people credit for.
A Clearer Soul: The Power of Reconciliation
Another simple visual helped explain the beauty of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I showed them two water bottles — one filled with clear water, the other clouded with dirt.
Sin clouds the soul just like the dirty water. Confession restores purity.
Most of the boys chose to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation that day. Watching them encounter God’s mercy was truly moving.
Learning the Commandments — and Remembering Them
To help cement the Commandments in their minds, I taught them hand signals for each one. For example:
The boys loved this, and it gave them a memorable way to recall each commandment.
I also gave them Ten Commandment cards and the Ten Commandments Prayer to help then increase their understanding of the Commandments and apply them in their daily decisions.
Standing Strong in a Challenging Culture
Before we ended, I reminded them that living the Commandments isn’t always easy. The culture — and the enemy — constantly tries to pull us off the good path. But God gives us strength. His Commandments are not burdens but blessings, leading us always toward the light of Christ.
After the retreat Jeff Pierick, director of the St. Michaels retreats, reflected on the day with;
“Today, we had one of our most powerful retreats in teaching the boys the faith and having a very high percentage of boys participate in the Sacrament of Confession. This was the direct result of having Ed Van Buskirk of If U Love Me give four very engaging and impactful talks to the boys. One boy said, ‘I really learned and now understand the Commandments.’ St. Michael’s is incredibly appreciative of the great work Ed did at our retreat and his spreading the message of the Ten Commandments across our country!”
A Day of Grace
This retreat was a gift – for me. These young hearts reminded me that faith is alive, curiosity is powerful, and God is at work in the next generation. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to walk with them, even for a day, as they learn to love God by living His Commandments. Please pray with me for them, that they stay strong with the, stay on the path that leads them to Jesus, His love and eternal life with Him,
