Today we celebrate "Holy Family Sunday". And we have as our primary model, the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Although the gospels don't tell us an awful lot about the early family life of Jesus, we can surmise that it must have been holy and "spirit filled". For one thing, we know that Jesus was without sin, as well as His mother Mary. And Joseph, although he was subject to sin, was a righteous and virtuous man filled with the grace of God.

And so we can say that what St. Paul wrote to the Colossians was especially true about the Holy Family. And keeping the modern family, our families, in mind, he said that as God's chosen ones, we must put on…

Now contrast St. Paul's exhortation with the following:

There is a prevalent and not so subtle attack on the family and family virtues that has been ongoing for decades. The "Sexual Revolution" is an offshoot of modernism. It is the result of the sweeping changes in sexual mores in Western societies in the latter half of the 20th century. This "sexual revolution" has bloomed through the growing social tolerance of divorce, contraception, abortion, and premarital and extramarital sex; through the spread of pornography; through the glorification of "dysfunctional families", as seen in the latest MTV hit series "The Osbournes"; and through the media-approval of "alternative lifestyles" (I call them counterfeit) as in gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual. All these things and much more are beating down the walls that once protected the family and all that the family stands for.

However, in all the violence being perpetrated against the traditional family; there is yet hope. Hope given to us by good examples of family members. That is; loving fathers, nurturing mothers, and honorable children. These are modern day pro-family heroes, as it were. Men and women who exemplify the virtues God so desires us to practice and embrace in family life, to live in accord with His will.

One such a man is William Bennett. He has been a big proponent for a return to virtue and family values. I mention him now only to recommend one of his many books entitled the "Book of Virtues". It's a compilation of stories from around the world about morality, values and virtues and has enjoyed a long stint on the New York Times Bestseller List. He has also written the same work for young people, ages 9-12, entitled, (yes! you guessed it) "The Book of Virtues for Young People" and also one for children, ages 4-8 (The Book of Virtues for Children). These books are a must read and I highly recommend them.

However, today I would like to tell you about one of my favorite modern-day family heroes. He was born in 1892 and died in 1973 at the age of 81. He is the author of a number of books; yet most well known for his trilogy of books entitled, "The Lord of the Rings".(the movie version is currently smashing box office records at the theaters) His name is John Ronald Reuel Tolkien; better known as J.R.R.Tolkien.

Tolkien was not only a great and gifted writer of myth but was also a very devout Catholic and devoted husband and father. Born in South Africa, his father died there when Tolkien was only four years old—while his mother was visiting England with him and his brother. After this, he, and his mother and brother, remained in England. In 1900, his mother was received into the Roman Catholic Church. Because of this, her family disowned and abandoned her and the boys. A local pastor, Father Francis Morgan took the Tolkien family under his wings, so to speak, and was a guardian and real father to Tolkien and his brother. It was an upbringing that Tolkien never forgot which laid the foundation for his deeply spiritual life.

He fell in love with and married Edith Bratt and had four children; John, Michael, Christopher and Priscilla. John, the oldest, grew up to be a priest. The other children grew up to have families of their own. What is an amazing testament, though, is how they were raised and educated. Time will only allow a couple of examples but I encourage those interested to read more on this man's life.

In the book, "the Letters of J.R.R.Tolkien" there are literally hundreds of letters that he wrote to various family members as well as acquaintances. In one letter to his son Christopher, who was stationed in Africa in the R.A.F. during WWII, he wrote,

Tolkien would have known this well, for he fought in the trench warfare of WWI.

Tolkien believed in teaching his children the importance of prayer and leading a spiritual life as well as the importance of practicing virtue. In a letter to his son Michael, pertaining to the subject of true love, marriage and relations between the sexes, he said,

He continued by exhorting Michael to practice the virtues and in particular, the virtue of humility and self-sacrifice. He says…

I could go on with numerous quotes from Tolkien, but the point I want to make is that here we see a man, a father and husband, completely absorbed in his Christian ideals and teaching and exhorting his children to do the same. He lived and taught those virtues I just quoted from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians. They're worth repeating here---as family we need…heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another … And over all these put on love, the bond of perfection... And let the peace of Christ control your hearts …be thankful…and let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

My brothers and sister, we are all called to these Christian ideals.

May the Holy Family, that was the inspiration in Tolkien's life; in his family life as well as his writings, inspire us to live, love and work as Christian families. And may the Holy Spirit grant us the grace and the virtue of courage to protect and foster our Christian families even under the greatest of adversities.