On the Family: The Final Attack (Part I).
Introduction: In every generation, there are foundational truths that must be reasserted—not because they have ceased to be true, but because the world has grown deaf to them. Among these is the truth that the family is not a social construct, nor merely a convenient human arrangement. It is a divine institution, established by God, ordered toward reflecting His attributes of perfect love, unity, and life-giving communion.
In the Book of Genesis, it is no coincidence that Satan first tempts the woman before the man. God created a natural order: man and woman, united with each other and with God under the covenant, both called to a mutual self-giving love that reflects His image.This order is not tyranny, nor is it arbitrary; it is the harmony of complementarity, love, and responsibility. Satan sought to overturn the order established by God by drawing Eve into disobedience, and through her, leading the man astray. Even today, the enemy goes directly for the heart of the family, the relationship between man and woman, in order to corrode humanity from within.
The fallen man, blinded by sin, despises this order because it demands humility, obedience, and the denial of self. Society, echoing Satan’s rebellion, seeks “freedom” apart from God’s design. In doing so, man runs headlong into slavery of the concupiscible passions, pride, and chaos. This hedonistic culture has made it a ridiculous ask for men to remain chaste and not intoxicated. When young men are corrected on their childish behavior, the world scoffs. It simply responds with, “It is none of your business,” or “How does it affect you?” We are left with the pathetic statement, “boys will be boys.” In other words, society has abandoned the very idea that men are called to love their wives as Christ loves the Church. Instead of challenging them to rise above their passions, it excuses their weakness as if sin were natural and inevitable.
To lead, protect, and provide is not an imposition upon manhood; it is its fulfillment. And yet, in a culture that scorns authority, ridicules virtue, and prizes self-indulgence, such a calling is often buried beneath cynicism and distraction.
Today, the family is not simply neglected; it is being actively redefined, undermined, and in many cases, deliberately dismantled. The natural order of fatherhood, motherhood, and the sacred bond of marriage is increasingly portrayed as outdated or oppressive. There's a growing sense that marriage itself is becoming obsolete, or worse, irrelevant. Not only are families struggling to survive; there’s an ongoing societal push to break and disregard them altogether. Marriage is often portrayed as something that restricts, traps, or stifles. To some, having children is seen as a sort of slavery, because it requires responsibility, sacrifice, and the giving of oneself.
This series is not merely a commentary on cultural decline. It is a summons. We will examine how the attacks on the family are neither accidental nor isolated, but part of a deeper spiritual conflict—one that seeks to sever man from his origin and end. These reflections will not offer simplistic answers or shallow optimism. Rather, they aim to restore clarity, rooted in the wisdom of the Church and the truth of Scripture.
To rebuild the family, we must first recover what it means to be a man. This begins not in vague ideals, but in a return to the God who authored the family and entrusted its care, in no small part, to men willing to live—and die—for love.
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This article was written by Pietro Forti, a member of Ave Christvs Rex.
Do not reproduce without permission. Sharing with attribution is encouraged.
