The family is the first human society established by God. God's first command joined the first man and first woman in a life-giving union. It is a society based on mutual love, for while we all must love our neighbors as ourselves, nonetheless "charity begins at home" because even justice itself obliges us to a certain precedence in loving our family members. It is within the family that we learn to love.

God Himself blesses family life. God's premier manner of blessing any one of His creations is to unite Himself to it. His greatest blessing to humankind was the Incarnation through which He united Himself to us, and through sanctifying grace, He unites Himself to us by an abiding Presence. So He has also united Himself to our families by becoming a member of a human family — a Holy Family — and living as a member of a family for thirty years!

Satan hates the family and will do whatever he can to destroy it. He hates it for the very reasons that God loves it — because it is good and productive of good. He hates the family because he hates love. He hates love because he cannot comprehend it and cannot control it. Love defeats him. It even torments him. Love as typified in family life involves giving of oneself, and Satan — even when he gives — seeks only to take and consume. As a "roaring lion he goes about seeking whom he may "devour" to feed his own ego. Parents must be on guard against this adversary. They must build a barrier of God's love against him by their prayers and sacrifices, and be vigilant against allowing his influence within their home.