Article #4 - Sixth Series - September 25th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir

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Article #4 -  Sixth Series - September 25th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir

Article:
My identical twin brother (Luke) and I share the same birthday as Bilbo Baggins and Frodo Baggins. You may remember these fictional characters from J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent works “The Hobbit'' and “The Lord of the Rings.” 

In fact, my favorite book is “The Hobbit” by Tolkien. It’s a story of a little fellow (named Bilbo Baggins) who likes his home, his comfort zone, and doesn’t like to be bothered by anything. He certainly doesn’t like change. He is completely content with his limited worldview. He is also scared of adventure. He likes his routine. He also wants all the craziness, the threats, and the evils of the wider world to stay out beyond his fence and not to enter into his life. 

Then, someone asks him to go on an adventure.

The rest of the book is a story about how that little fellow steps out of himself and goes on adventure out into the wider world. He leaves his little home. He sees the wider world. He discovers gifts and talents that he never knew he had. He finds himself. He finds his purpose. He knows his mission. In fact, he plays a crucial role in overcoming the craziness, the threats, and the evils of the wider world. He serves in a massive war. He even faces a powerful and evil dragon. He changes the hearts of those around him. He forgets about himself because he is so focused on those around him. 

In the final chapter of the book, Bilbo returns back to his home after the difficult adventure. He has a renewed understanding of himself, others, and the wider world. He is filled with gratitude and peace. 

I love the book because we are in the story - we are Bilbo, we are the little fellow with our preferences, routines, and comfort zones. Yet, Jesus knocks on the door of our hearts and asks us, “would you like to go on an adventure?”

Like Bilbo, the smartest and most adventurous thing we can do is step out of ourselves.
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.