Bishop Barron on "The Hobbit" (SPOILERS)

Another part of a video series from Wordonfire.org. Bishop Barron will be commenting on subjects from modern day culture. For more visit www.wordonfire.org

[@WombatProphecy]

I agree with you. Gollum represents the figure of someone overcome by temptation. Tolkien used the character to cleverly show how people who fall to temptation are to be pitied: they are dangerous, and they can be wicked, but they are ultimately to be pitied for what they have become.

[@meatman446]

Gollum is drug addiction

[@user-dx5bn4yk4f]

@@meatman446 drug addiction is succumbing oneself to temptation

[@wafflesmacduff]

"It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand...Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play, for good or ill. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of men." Gandalf

[@EquineDreams]

This is a true description of the theme, but what is important to remember is that the giving MUST be voluntary~! THIS is the MOST important thing about the ring and the significance of Bilbos letting go- that he did it voluntarily. Gandalf would not take the ring from him by force. Nor would Elrond take it from Frodo by force. The giving up, the letting go and the acts of kindness must all be freely chosen and freely given. They can be suggested by a 3rd party but cannot be coerced or they do not count for anything and will ultimately have tragic rather than positive effects.

[@SamuraiQuester]

J.R.R Tolkien's son, John, was my parish priest and school chaplin in Stoke-on-Trent, England (my one and only claim to fame!). That led me to read "Lord of the Rings" when I was fourteen and it blew me away. Personally, I think the novel is an incredible exposition of Catholic spiritually and ethics (one critic suggests it's best read alongside a text with a COMPLETELY different ethic, like Satre's "Nausea" to get the best out of it). Many, many layers of meaning. Awesome.

[@GideonsKnight]

The Elvish waybread called Lembas is a Eucharistic symbol from the book that was somewhat retained in the movies. Frodo and Sam are nourished by it for the majority of their journey.

[@joezilla07]

Fr. Barron, watching your video inspires me to view life as it really is, as an adventure. Thank you for sharing your thoughts in this video and pushing me from an illusory sense of monotony out into a world where each person is significant and every step of our journey has meaning. Thank you for all you do--keep up the great work!

[@Zethys]

I thought the trolls were turned to stone in The Hobbit, but apparently, they're here visiting Fr. Barron's channel!

[@jdeatley5939]

God bless you. Thank you for your work.

[@fabricepoirette3328]

Priceless insight. Thanks so much for giving it. God Bless. Fabrice from France.

[@BishopBarron]

I've actually talked about it many times. Take a look through my videos.

[@BishopBarron]

Yes. Take a look through my videos and you'll find it.

[@TheMysticPilgrim]

Another ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC commentary, Father!

[@thegorn68]

C.S.Lewis was another great writer as you may well know who used Christian themes, etc. and a good friend of Tolkien.

[@havock89]

Awesome video Father. God bless you and hope you have had a very mrry and blessed Christmas.

[@clinetalbo]

A GREAT commentary Father! Excellent points made that blew my mind!

[@YHWH711]

God says call no man father on earth but him. God bless

[@mari9486]

Thank you Father Barron for your movie commentaries! I thoroughly enjoy them! Will you be commenting on the second installment of The Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug? The third installment is due to come out in December........

[@Core1138]

Thanks for this insight Father Barron, I enjoyed it! I'm "moving" toward the church and the Hobbit and Tolkien has helped. As a former Jehovah's Witness I was told not to read Tolkien because it had magic and that is condemned in the Bible. It's been nice to see the Christian side of these books as I move toward the Church. Peter Kreeft has some good lectures on LoTRs and Christianity too that have helped me bridge the gap of this tale and the story of Christianity. -Agape!

[@sagittarius1343]

Your Excellency, I enjoy your videos very much. Tibi gratias ago. Deus te benedicat.

[@margarethhuapcent1270]

I didn't see complete😥😇😇😇👼🔥☄️🕊️💐💗 Thank you Bishop Barron!

[@redbaron998]

Awesome as always Merry Christmas

[@aramanx]

Awesome answer.

[@christophermartin8685]

Thanks! I forgot all about that part--although it was kind of a minor part of the films.

[@Sneak1in]

........my friends.........you bow to no one

[@samgiroux]

Gary Brymer i cry every time i see that scene.

[@Stitchman3875]

I think I may have to see this again. I didn't catch all this when I saw it.

[@mcdonaldgeraldmark]

Nice to read a review of this film that does not include the words "High Frame Rate." Father Barron is, for my money, the best film reviewer out there. By far.

[@Arsenal125Foward]

We watch Father Barron's videos all the time in my religion class I began to really like them. And I also love the Hobbit. I bout the movie and watched it over and over. I just can't wait for the other ones. I just don't wont to see the part with Kili, Fili, and Thorin. R.I.P.

[@carlostiznadodj]

I'd read Sartre's Nausea, and I've already read The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Is a good suggest, i think. Existencialism, confronting Catholic Spiritually and ethics. The result, plenty of light about contemporary issues of the modern human kind. Greetings from Mexico!

[@Tomster22]

Fascinating, I can't wait for you're analysis of Les Miserables.

[@carlostiznadodj]

Thank you for this thoughts, Father. I'm just discovering this channel, and it's wonderful! Thanks to the Lord for giving you this inspiration to talk about common things in a catholic perspective. But i'm wondering something, would it be possible to translate, or even subtitled (in spanish, because of my friends, for a start, i mean) this thoughts? It'll be wonderful, and full of grace to many of my friends to! Anyways, i'm going to share this, and interpreat it to my friends. Thank you!

[@kimlersue]

Jorge, humbly I pray for you.

[@angelamariapreuss]

Have a Holy Christmas! I love it. You have a Holy Christmas too!

[@SamuraiQuester]

Gentlemen, doesn't it wpeak highly of Father Barron that his videos provocte discussion of this quality. And speaks highly of you guys (Earl Grey and Vaticantroll). as well. Very impressive, chaps. Respect!

[@AscendantJustice1308]

Great video, Fr. Barron! I wanted to ask what you thought of the scene that you were discussing, where Gandalf is talking about these "small acts of kindness that hold the darkness at bay". I was thinking that it was very reminiscent of St. Therese the Little Flower's "Little way". What do you think?

[@eln5343]

On point. Though I couldn't be but put off by how you pronounced Saruman. JK no big deal. Even in the movies Christopher Lee was the sole actor who nailed the pronounciation. Pay attention to how he pronounces the names as oppose to the rest of the cast.

[@Yesica1993]

Wow, what a great story!

[@chrisg3258]

I think an important point that's implied but not clear is that it is love that drives Bilbo and Frodo to give up the thing in each case. Frodo's love for the shire and its people pushes him forward on his quest. Bilbo's love for his companions prompts him to give up the Arkenstone, in the genuine conviction that it will be best for them, even though he knows it will incur their ire and wrath and potentially lead them to abandon him.

[@osageroarange]

awesome

[@rytsign69]

I think the Dragon hoards those golds so that to entice wandering adventures to his cave, thereby giving him an easy meal. He could be represented by Satan, the "Great Dragon" who entices mankind with wealth, power, pleasure but will ultimately consume them if they get tempted.

[@Michael-ny1rs]

Ahh, eye-opening correlation, thank you!

[@elcanaldeshackra]

I just watched the movie the past December 13th (in 3D) and was awesome :'D and I watched again with my young brother yesterday and stills awesome :'D :'D

[@ryan82scott]

It's a starting place, the single step at the beginning of a journey in a life of charity. Also, something that may seem small may be quite large- hugging a person doesn't seem significant, until you find out that person has not been embraced in years. We cannot always see the ends our small goods serve.

[@elizabethrose6463]

Father Barron, I've been wondering--what did you think of the second and third films? I thought they were very in tune with Tolkien's spirituality and overall, the trilogy felt almost as spiritual to me as the Lord of the Rings trilogy. My friend told me jokingly that I couldn't be her friend anymore because I love the Hobbit movies and they don't exactly follow the book. But I don't think I'm a traitor to Tolkien for loving the Hobbit movies. I love your film analyses and I would be very interested to know what you thought of The Hobbit parts 2 and 3. God bless!

[@SamuraiQuester]

Hiya Earl. In terms of Satre, the idea is to read an opposing text ("Nausea's" title gives away its view on life!) highlights Tolkien's life-affirming, fellowship-affirming (fellowship, a word not so much in use today, is sort of 'friendhip plus!) 'good-affirming' ethic. Well, Tolkien obviously had nothing to do with the film. Although, in the book, there sren't direct correlations with Catholic practice (cont)

[@DanielWoike]

Hey man, fellow Catholic libertarian anarchist here. I also liked when Gandalf said that real change in the world is not done by power or force, but by voluntary acts of kindness and love. I think this applies very well to how we think of politics, and that we should always keep in mind that when we advocate for the state to do something, we are advocating coercive violence on ourselves and other people, and we might be forgetting about voluntary means to solve the problem without the state.

[@thoughtadventure100]

Tolkein is hobbit-forming.

[@kd1greene]

If you go to the Arlington diocese of VA website and click on Theology on Tap through YA ministry, you can see/ hear a whole slew of neat speakers. Point of this comment is that Fr. Huggins does a fabulous job of discussing LOTR. In that clip, he goes into some detail concerning Lembas bread. Just to let you know.

[@aramanx]

For what I recall the life spawn of hobbits are the same as humans, that is another reason Bilbo in the book did not want to go out. He was basically waiting to grow a bit older and then die.

[@michaelbergfeld8751]

For the spirit of the two great works of Tolkien, listen to the sunday-sermons of the bishop

[@jessebourbeau1616]

I quite despise the idea of religion, but I do respect and entertain this guys takes, I often enjoy them.

[@manuelturcios]

Me too!

[@davidiancrux]

The hobbit is an awesome book. The movies do a great injustice.

[@LastSurvivor0064]

PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO ON LINCOLN!!!!!!!!

[@Xforce61]

What you describe here, Father, is something I like to call "The Code of Christ".

[@WombatProphecy]

Father, have you done a review of The Lord of the Rings trilogy? If not, would you consider doing one? I really like your reviews of films: they make me see them in a new light.

[@jormorcastan]

Do you mean an entire video like this one?

[@SteveWFitch]

Hi Father Barron. I am a reporter for Middle-Earth News and would be thrilled if you could take part in a "Hobbit reading" that we have celebs do for us. Could you record on vid, your favourite Hobbit reading and we can post to our site? Please let me know?

[@lalalalaby]

That is absolutely true, that he is a pitiable creature. We are shown his background for that reason. He is tempted by the power of the ring and gives in. However, he IS an evil and wicked character BECAUSE he gives in. We have more pity because we know he was not always evil, but that's kind of the point. We all have a choice whether we choose good or evil. Fr Barron acknowledges that Gollum has chosen evil and is therefore an evil character in the movie.

[@Stitchman3875]

It's in his earlier videos.

[@jormorcastan]

yes, you're right, i'm terrible speller, by the way could you please let me know the title of one of the videos refering to pedophilia, thanks

[@elzbietahapsburska3711]

3) . . . Sometimes these books are also allegories trying to teach the Christian story in a new way, as is the case with the Narnia series. While LOTR and The Hobbit aren't allegorical (they are meant the illustrate Christian morality in practice, and the characters represent Tolkein's readers rather than biblical characters), Tolkein did write one fairly directly allegorical story (Silmarillion - I hope I spelled that right) based on Genesis . . .

[@isaihisaih2024]

True!!👍👍👍👍👍😀

[@DunadanRanger]

@mdogg094 he's commenting on the book's Christian themes exclusively probably because so many other people have already reviewed it in a non-Christian/secular way. It would be redundant.

[@reactionaryr]

Evil and pitiable are not mutually exclusive.

[@elzbietahapsburska3711]

4) . . . I hope you continue to enjoy these books :D There are plenty of good books with Christian themes out there of all genres (check out a local Christian store for proof - they even have cook and craft books :D), and pretty often you can also find positive themes in mainstream media if you look hard (ex. the Marvel and Batman movies :D)

[@SamuraiQuester]

...but there are no direct correlations with Catholic practice in the novel, either. However, the world-view (a universe created by an omniscient power of good; evil entering through disobediance to this higher power; the seductive/addictive power of sin - the ring - the redemptive possibilities within life) is entirely Catholic and can only be fully understodd in the light of Catholic theology. Tolkien was also recreating Anglo-saxon myth nd history,so there's a lot going on.

[@jormorcastan]

so that means no answer?

[@christophermartin8685]

What do you mean about reading it along side Sartre? And I always found it strange that Tolkien never had any Eucharistic symbolism in the movies--considering he was a Catholic.

[@emiblux98]

Lembas bread was a symbol for the Eucarist...the new mana that keeps you alive in the desert...

[@salon201]

Fr. Barron you should also comment on the film The Life of Pi, many atheists and protestants are debating the film as an anti-religious movie and I felt it was just the opposite, I felt it as a story that correctly portrayed man's religious nature as the number 26 of the CCC says it, and I think your theological knowledge could help shed some light in the film's message about God and religion

[@elzbietahapsburska3711]

2) . . . If you know your faith well, you should be able to tell what kind of magic the characters are engaging in, and whether you feel comfortable reading about it, though most fantasy books aren't actually encouraging their readers to use magic. This is much debated among Christians, however, more and more often I find articles in Catholic newspapers promoting such works when they have a Christian theme or illustrate Christian morality . . .

[@MarkFilipAnthony]

simple deeds of love and kindnes helps... Unless u live in the wolrd od Game of Thrones!

[@metal87power]

You just had to comment on this film, hadn't you Father? :)

[@Christiamorous]

Um, Lembas? I know it doesn't quite correlate, but there are definitely shades of the Eucharist in Lembas.

[@einnaecarg]

I am

[@bygonevexation114]

concupiscense is highly prevalent in a lot of immigrants that come to America from 3rd world countries. Think about it this way: people are serving dessert samples at a mall, a guy who is fresh from the densely populated country of India takes 7 samples instead of 1. Why? because the relative self gain is viewed in contrast to previous states of desparation.

[@ChubbyChecker182]

Do Django Unchained !

[@lungfish]

Pity towards Gollum is an essential part of his interpretation.

[@CatholicFranciscan95]

you have to read the book first so youll understand. i like slow movies though... that was the best movie to come out in years. everything now is just sex and shooting and blowing stuff up and it gets old very quickly.

[@violinista53]

Do you want there to be an answer, or are you not so sincere after all?

[@WombatProphecy]

I think things like that are more important social issues than important theological issues. Essentially, the abuse was wrong. End of. What more do you need to know? Every piece of dogma and scripture suggests the conclusion that what the people involved did was wrong. There isn't much more that many people can say to it than that.

[@fmiscusesm1479]

I cannot believe they are making it into a trilogy. Jackson is going to milk this for all he can, but by all rights it should not be a trilogy.

[@christophermartin8685]

Well I read that Tolkien did not want his Catholic themes to be as obvious as it is in Narnia--he though it would turn off a large portion of his audience.

[@jimwyse2777]

Tolkein is Hobbit forming

[@elzbietahapsburska3711]

. . . Welcome to the Catholic side - we have the cookies :D No serious, this Sunday, in the parish hall, we had a tonne of cakes and cookies :D A lot of the time magic in fantasy novels is symbolic of something else: it can replace modern technology or the ability to use magic can symbolize a character's purity (ex Gandalf or Cinderella's godmother) or impurity (ex Snow White's stepmother) . . .

[@Mars72794]

Its not a movie review.. just commentary

[@YHWH711]

So far from a relationship with Jesus Christ why? God bless

[@bygonevexation114]

:)

[@sophialucero6387]

LES MISERABLES please. :)

[@absw6129]

The hobbit films are so drawn out compared to the book. In the final hobbit film, that last battle goes on for way too long imo. Read the book before watching the films.

[@mdogg094]

Are priests not allowed to watch movies? He isn't reviewing it, he's giving commentary on its Christian themes. It seems to me Christ would be just alright with that.

[@jormorcastan]

theisic wisdom what a contradicción

[@eoinlyon4543]

:D

[@ancientonezero]

That's a lovely sermon, Robert. It has a deeply hollow ring (no Tolkien pun intended) to it, though. Why doesn't the catholic church lead by example and give away it's MASSIVE wealth to the poor? Clinging avariciously on to your material wealth seems to be a VERY catholic thing to do.

[@BishopBarron]

How do you think the Church manages to serve the poor through hospitals, schools, homeless shelters, parishes, etc? All of these institutions cost money. But also, friend, the Church does more than care for the poor--as essential as that is. It also evangelizes and worships God. Both of these endeavors require money as well.

[@ancientonezero]

Fr. Robert Barron Didn't Jesus tell people to give up everything - all their material wealth - if they truly wanted to follow him? Why is the catholic church ignoring the teachings of it's greatest hero? Thank you for the reply, by the way :)

[@BishopBarron]

ancientonezero He calls his disciples to be detached from everything other than the will of God. But this doesn't imply abjection. How do you think Jesus and his disciples survived?! They ate and drank and stayed the night in various places. We hear of saintly women who cared for their needs and we even hear of a common purse that they kept.

[@ancientonezero]

Fr. Robert Barron Then those people can't, by definition, be following Jesus' teachings. How could they possibly be saintly? I think it may have been a little hypocritical of Jesus to say 'Give up everything, leave your jobs, leave your families, and follow me. That's the ONLY way. Oh, except the people who are feeding and clothing me. They're ok.'

[@derekicenhour8647]

ancientonezero In Luke 14:26, Jesus also says you have to hate your father and mother to be his disciple. In Mark 7:27 Jesus calls a woman who came begging for His help a dog. You have to understand that Jesus often used hyperbole to make his point. This is because God is so far above us that we cannot comprehend, so hyperbole helps make that difference clear. Father Barron is right, when Jesus told people to give up everything and follow him, and when he told people they have to hate their fathers and mothers to follow him, he wasn't being literal. He was making a point that to truly follow God, NOTHING can be of greater importance in our lives, especially not material things, and not even our own beloved families.

[@Keldenbutton]

Anyone else see the Jews in the Dwarves?

[@meiam3637]

Here's a known to the true virgin mother creator and won't taste death proclaimed three times over before I was born proven by God before I was born . The hope for the man of understanding . Three threes is the infinity circle move one up two right flip spin hearts above and below love being and end too smaller than bottom . I know what they tell you they unknown unproclaimed arrogant ego greedy educated guess know deceiving self exactly void in know deceiving self exactly void in know unknown to even self strangers in selves unknown swine that direction .

[@Chocard100]

Troll

[@jormorcastan]

please don't waist your time Kitty...pray for kids with cancer if that maked you feel good

[@CatholicFranciscan95]

why dont you focus on something positive for once and stop thinking of the catholic church as something nasty.

[@marshalt]

Catholic or not, that movie was three hours of boring...

[@AEB1066]

The Hobbit is a work of fiction that has captivated generations, just like the Bible! Sorry, cheap shot :)