Heroic men have always inspired me.  Saints, military generals, and famous presidents have always provided light and direction during my life.  Men like Paul, Athanasius, Thomas Moore, John Fisher, Edmond Campion, John Vianney, Miguel Pro, Oscar Romero, John Paul II, Pope Benedict, Washington, Lincoln, Reagan, Patton, MacArthur and Eisenhower are all men that I admire very much.  They are all lighthouses:  men, who within their own historical circumstances, stood up to the plate and lived their lives with heroism.

Today, as men, we are constantly being challenged.  

If the house is burning, get a hose and put out the fire.  If someone is trapped inside, we need to go in for the rescue.  Only the cowards would watch from the sidewalk and do nothing.

I love heroes.  I loathe cowards.

I know that as married men you are challenged every day.  I am writing to you in order to encourage you to remain faithful and to be a hero. I am writing this book for you, man to man, with deep love and concern so that you will be happy in this life and eternally happy in the life to come.

One Sunday night in December 2006, I awoke at 3:00 AM and quickly wrote out the titles of the chapters of this book.  I have never experienced this kind of inspiration before.  The desire to write the book was something that kept bothering me for the next couple of weeks.  

So, I decided that God was telling me something and perhaps using me.  I quickly decided to take some time off and write the book.  I knew that I had to get away from the parish and I also knew that I needed a quiet, peaceful place that would help inspire my reflections.  I have never used vacation time to write, but I thought, why not?  

So, here I am, on a small island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, writing to you, the heroes of the modern world.   The book that you are about to read is very practical and down to earth.